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.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Copyright: © Yasmin Nouri
Bassima Mroue is the CEO and co-founder of SkinTē, the first-ever collagen sparkling tea at the intersection of beauty, food, and wellness.
Passionate about developing purpose-driven brands, inspiring women, and destigmatizing self-care, Bassima calls on her diverse professional experience to revolutionize the way we approach beauty and wellness from the inside out. She has over a decade’s worth of experience working with big brands like Nike and Spanx and, as a board member of the Sara Blakely Foundation, she is also an active supporter of female empowerment.
While at the height of her career, Bassima’s body started shutting down, and she was diagnosed with Stage 4 endometriosis. She also had to undergo impromptu back surgery to correct her painful sciatica and was encouraged by her surgeon to take collagen every day to assist her in her post-op recovery. After seeing how quickly she bounced back, Bassima realized the power of collagen but she knew there must be a better-tasting way to consume it, and the idea for SkinTē was born.
In this episode, Bassima speaks candidly about her health journey and emphasizes the importance of prioritizing self-care. Tuning in, you’ll find out how she does that as the CEO of a rapidly growing business and hear the story of how she partnered with two other women founders to create an easy, effective, and more delicious way to get your daily collagen intake.
We also touch on what the early days of building SkinTē looked like, the scrappiness it takes to get a beverage product to market, the power of your intuition in business, and some of the biggest lessons she’s learned from the corporate world to now building her purpose-driven brand.
In this episode, we'll talk to Bassima about:
* The power of believing in yourself and why Bassima thinks women find it difficult. [2:59]
* Insight into her upbringing and how it informed the businesswoman she is today. [5:09]
* Understanding Bassima’s health journey and the role her hormones have played. [7:51]
* How her unconventional approach served her when she became an entrepreneur. [15:16]
* What her experience of working with Sara Blakely was like. [16:33]
* Tips for tapping into your intuition using what Bassima calls micro self-care. [18:45]
* Where the inspiration for SkinTē came from; to serve a personal need. [22:21]
* Insight into the early stages of SkinTē and the research and development that went into their first product. [25:51]
* The importance of gratitude, nourishing relationships and seeking mentorship. [31:50]
* Breaking through the fear of asking for money by borrowing from how men think. [34:21]
* Bassima’s perspective on postponing stress; you only have so much energy! [39:02]
* The advantages of being a woman in business and leveraging your feminine energy. [43:52]
* Tips for building your brand: keep it rooted in purpose. [47:12]
* Challenges Bassima had to overcome as she grew her brand, including fundraising. [50:34]
* The value of trusting your intuition when vetting investors and doing due diligence. [53:36]
* Common mistakes that Bassima sees women in business making, including the belief that their advisors always know best. [54:59]
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 Bassima:
* Website: https://skinte.com/
* Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bassimamroue/
Follow Yasmin:
* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yasminknouri/
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
MaryRuth Ghiyam is the founder & CEO of MaryRuth Organics, a family-friendly wellness brand offering over 130 high-quality, vegan, non-GMO vitamins and supplements.
MaryRuth began her personal journey into the health and wellness space after the unexpected passing of her brother and her father, as well as her mother’s diagnosis of two benign brain tumors.
While working as a health coach in 2013, MaryRuth struggled to find supplements to recommend to her clients that were easy-to-take and didn’t make them nauseous on an empty stomach. She made a small batch of a sugar-free Raspberry Liquid Morning Multivitamin and the rest is history.
MaryRuth went from $700,000 in debt to creating a $100+ million wellness company – before taking on any investors – and is on a bold mission to show how micro-actions can give you the momentum to move forward every day.
We talk to MaryRuth about her biggest tips for overcoming adversity and how she got herself out of debt & gained financial freedom. We also touch on the power of time blocking to organize your life and how MaryRuth built a highly profitable wellness empire without any prior connections in the industry, plus so much more.
In this episode, we'll talk to MaryRuth about:
* Advice for women feeling constrained by their circumstances: keep moving forward! [2:38]
* Insight into MaryRuth’s childhood and the losses that informed her wellness journey. [4:50]
* The experience that shifted her perspective on the value of financial independence. [6:37]
* Some of the realizations that MaryRuth had about debt management. [11:22]
* The importance of building confidence in yourself and proper time management. [16:46]
* How MaryRuth's clients inspired the idea for her first liquid vitamin product. [19:23]
* How the decision to marry her husband impacted her life (and her business!) [22:31]
* Structure creates freedom; how time blocking keeps MaryRuth anchored. [29:10]
* Time blocking tips: be realistic about what you can achieve in a day. [38:18]
* The early stages of how MaryRuth cultivated awareness about her products. [42:32]
* Internal matches external: why she chose to focus on developing the best product and customer service she could before investing in marketing. [45:17]
* How MaryRuth built a financially healthy business with no outside investments. [46:31]
* Learn about the negative cashflow conversion cycle that MaryRuth Organics uses. [50:44]
* Some of the biggest mistakes that MaryRuth sees entrepreneurs make. [53:17]
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 MaryRuth:
* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maryruthorganics/
* Website: https://www.maryruthorganics.com/
Follow Yasmin:
* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yasminknouri/
* Stay updated & subscribe to our newsletter: https://www.behindherempire.com/
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this week’s episode, we’re joined by Alli Webb, serial entrepreneur, NYT best-selling author, and the co-founder of Drybar.
Everything that Alli does, she does with wholehearted passion. From beauty school to the PR industry to stay-at-home mom to founder, Alli has successfully held many roles throughout her life and has learned countless valuable lessons along the way, many of which she shares with us in today’s episode.
Alli’s mobile blow-out business, which she started in 2009 after being a stay-at-home mom for almost 5 years, catalyzed the idea for Drybar. In 2010, Alli opened the first Drybar in Brentwood, CA. 10 years later and over 150+ locations across the U.S., Drybar exploded into a nationally recognized and highly sought-after brand.
Alli also diversified the Drybar business, creating a line of products and tools, which she sold to Helen of Troy for $255 million.
Alli has been on the cover of Inc Magazine’s “How I Did This” issue, named the “100 Most Creative People in Business” by Fast Company, featured on Fortune magazine’s “40 Under 40” list, and recently Inc. magazine recognized her as one of “The 100 Women Building America’s Most Innovative and Ambitious Businesses.”
We speak with Alli about the many transitions in her life from dropping out of college to going to beauty school despite what others thought, to being a stay-at-home mom to then building her massive empire at Dryar. Despite all the success Alli’s had in her life, we talk about the tough times in her life, how she’s tackled depression and heartbreak, and the new chapter she’s in today both personally and professionally.
In this episode, we'll talk to Alli about:
* Alli’s upbringing, and when her desire to become an entrepreneur began to form. [2:37]
* The focus and drive with which Alli approaches all endeavors. [6:48]
* Why Alli chose to go to beauty school, and the different career that she pursued afterwards. [9:00]
* Highs and lows that Alli experienced as a stay-at-home-mom. [15:56]
* The mobile blow-out business that Alli built when her children were young. [17:14]
* The motivation behind Alli’s decision to found Drybar, and what differentiates this salon from the rest. [19:16]
* Economic conditions at the time of the founding of Drybar. [22:16]
* Fear and optimism that Alli felt prior to starting Drybar, and the [23:07]
* Some of the challenges that Alli overcame during the early days of Drybar. [25:06]
* The continuous learning process that Alli’s experience with Drybar has been. [28:10]
* What the last few years have looked like for Alli, since taking a step back from Drybar. [29:05]
* Alli candidly shares the various reasons that led to her divorce after 16 years of marriage, and the depression that she experienced afterwards. [29:55]
* Factors that helped Alli get through her depression, and the headspace she is currently in. [32:45]
* Traits that Alli adopted when she was running Drybar, and how she has changed since. [37:43]
* Canopy; the company that Alli is currently working for, and how they are reimagining humidifiers [42:32]
* Where the idea for Canopy originated, and how Alli got involved. [45:19]
* Advice for anyone who is struggling to find their purpose in life. [47:30]
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 Alli:
* Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/alliwebb/
* Drybar: https://www.drybar.com/
* Canopy: https://getcanopy.co/
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sallie Krawcheck is the CEO and Co-Founder of Ellevest, a digital-first investment platform working to help close the gender wealth gap by “redefining investing for women.”
Sallie’s professional mission is to help women reach their financial and professional goals… or as she says to get more money in the hands of women. She’s definitely on her way as Ellevest recently announced they have $1Bn under management. Before launching Ellevest in 2016, Sallie was one of the highest-ranked women ever to have worked on Wall Street: She was the CEO of Merrill Lynch, Smith Barney, US Trust, Citi Private Bank, and Sanford C. Bernstein. She was also CFO for Citigroup. Prior to that, Sallie was a top-ranked research analyst covering the securities industry.
Sallie is widely recognized as one of the most influential women in business. She has been recognized by Inc. as a "Top Female Founder", called "The Last Honest Analyst" by Fortune magazine, and was named the seventh most powerful woman in the world by Forbes. We’ll chat with Sallie about her journey leaving her small hometown to high-powered positions in Wall Street, how she dealt with two public firings and the many career pivots that led her to start Ellevest. We'll also discuss why women need to talk more about money and start investing in order to close the gender wealth gap.
In this episode, we'll talk to Sallie about:
* Sallie’s experience of school, difficulties she faced, and how this made her resilient. [6:22]
* The impact that being bullied had on Sallie’s will to succeed in life. [7:19]
* How Sallie landed in investment banking after going to school for journalism. [8:13]
* The shame and guilt Sallie felt around hating a career she thought she wanted. [10:37]
* How Sallie carved out time to find out what she truly wanted to do with her life. [11:41]
* Dealing with rejection and the power of a growth mindset to keep pushing. [15:22]
* Sallie’s take on why being a woman on Wall Street helped her in many ways. [16:47]
* What happens when women are seen to be looking for power and attention. [18:14]
* Sallie’s two public firings and the lessons she learned from both of them. [20:25]
* How Sallie, whose identity was attached to her career, dealt with being fired. [23:42]
* Women have been socialized into believing men are better at money. [29:00]
* The stress that comes with running your own business and the loneliness you face. [30:14]
* Sallie’s experience raising funds for Ellevest and why it differed from other startups. [36:21]
* What Sallie wishes they had done differently in her company. [39:32]
* The value of networking and why women need to do a better job of it. [40:38]
* Some first steps women who have not invested can take to get started. [43:30]
* If you feel nervous about investing, start small and watch what happens. [48:40]
* Why Sallie does not like the idea that women have to strive for work-life balance. [49:35]
* We need to normalize failures because striving to be perfect puts extra pressure on women. [55:11]
* The reason that men are better at taking risks, according to Sallie. [56.39]
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 BEHINDHEREMPIRE10
Follow Ellevest:
* Company Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ellevest/
* Website: https://www.ellevest.com/
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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 Gibson Tuttle is the CEO and founder of Olive & June, an innovative at-home nail-care brand that's disrupting the industry.
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:
* What inspired Sarah to leave her job and found Olive & June. [00:50]
* What holds people back from making the same type of career leap. [03:20]
* How passion keeps Sarah in this entrepreneurial journey despite its hardships. [05:21]
* What kept her in her job as an equity sales trader for so long. [08:52]
* How her divorce added to her motivation to shake things up. [14:34]
* How she built connections to get interviews in talent management and the benefits of resistance. [19:36]
* The importance of therapy in Sarah’s personal and professional journey and how her divorce made her more empathetic. [24:50]
* The fear and imposter syndrome she felt when she put her life savings into her first store. [28:03]
* Sarah’s thoughts on the value of community and how she built one for her brand. [31:02]
* The importance of having a vision but also being flexible. [39:05]
* How Olive & June pivoted during the pandemic and supported their community. [40:09]
* Sarah’s approach to fundraising and what her relationship with her investors looks like. [42:32]
* The best investment advice Sarah received but didn’t appreciate at the time. [46:18]
* How she balances all the different aspects of her life. [50:22]
* What it was like for her to build a team, delegate responsibilities, and give up control. [54:39]
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 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
Follow Yasmin:
* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yasminknouri/
* Stay updated & subscribe to our newsletter: https://www.behindherempire.com/
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Today we discuss all things related to women’s health with someone who not only has incredible clinical experience, but also is an expert in the fields of nutrition, modern science, and spirituality.
Dr. Deanna Minich is an internationally recognized health expert, scientist, researcher, and author with more than 20 years of experience in nutrition, mind-body health, and functional medicine. She is on the board of directors for the American Nutrition Association and has authored six books and over 40 scientific publications.
In this episode, Dr. Deanna shares her personal story of her own hormonal struggles and how she overcame PMS, endometriosis, anxiety, depression, and IBS. She also explains how this led her to realize how nutrition, mind, body, and spirit are all interconnected.
We also talk about how our thoughts can directly impact our health, what foods can be used to enhance your mood, why flow is so vital for women, the importance of having variety in your diet and so much more!
In this episode, we'll talk to Dr. Deanna about:
* The most underrated pillars of women’s health according to Dr. Deanna Minich. [2:28]
* Dr. Deanna’s personal hormonal struggles and how they have influenced her views on health. [3:40]
* How painting and color helped Dr. Deanna on her healing journey. [7:55]
* How our thoughts can directly impact our health. [12:50]
* An example of one of Dr. Deanna’s patients whose health was greatly impacted by her thoughts. [19:04]
* The impact of purpose and meaning on our health. [21:43]
* How Dr. Deanna utilizes the chakra system in her work. [24:48]
* What is important for women to understand when it comes to food and your mood. [28:35]
* An example from Dr. Deanna’s life about the benefits of going with the flow and not being too rigid. [32:39]
* What Dr. Deanna means when she talks about flow and why it’s so important for women. [36:46]
* Some of Dr. Deanna’s favorite foods for positively impacting your mood. [39:47]
* How the color orange is linked to the reproductive cycle of a woman’s body. [43:35]
* The importance of having variety in your diet. [47:25]
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 Dr. Deanna:
* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deannaminich/
* Website: https://deannaminich.com/
Follow Yasmin:
* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yasminknouri/
* Stay updated & subscribe to our newsletter: https://www.behindherempire.com/
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The twists and turns in our lives can oftentimes help us to find renewed meaning and purpose, and our guest today, Sarah Jones Simmer, is a shining example of this.
Sarah is currently the CEO of Found, and formerly the COO of Bumble, which she joined when it was a tiny company working out of a two-bedroom apartment. Throughout her career, Sarah has focused on working with mission-driven brands and has allowed her curiosity to lead her explorations.
While working at Bumble, Sarah was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer and made the brave decision to continue to work, which felt like a healthy and needed distraction from the aggressive treatment regime she was going through. At the time, Sarah’s role shifted to Chief Strategy Officer and was laser focused on “quarterbacking” Bumble’s IPO – which valued the company at a multi-billion dollar valuation and was quite iconic as the founder, Whitney Wolfe Herd, was the youngest female founder to take a US company public.
Now cancer-free, Sarah's health journey has had a massive impact on the way she thinks about her life and work, and we are so lucky to hear all about this evolution in our conversation with her today. She also talks about the benefits of a non-linear career, what it means to find your personal purpose, why waiting for the perfect moment is a myth, and so much more!
In this episode, we’ll talk to Sarah about:
* Looking back at Sarah's role in taking Bumble public. [3:19]
* The shift in perspective that Sarah experienced around the idea of timing. [4:28]
* Reflections on the winding journey leading up to Sarah's work at Bumble. [6:45]
* What initially drew Sarah to take up a position at Bumble when it was a small startup. [11:19]
* Stepping into a new role, learning, and using best judgment as your compass. [18:40]
* Lessons from mentors and leaders; how Sarah has absorbed wisdom from great women around her. [20:42]
* Sarah's experiences of breast cancer and how her life changed during 2020. [24:37]
* Putting together the IPO deal team and how much energy Sarah drew from its amazing members. [30:29]
* The decision to take on the role of CEO at Found and what inspired it. [33:52]
* Surprises and lessons since Sarah took up her latest leadership position. [39:30]
* Systems for collaboration during this remote work revolution. [42:38]
* Sarah's advice for finding meaning in work and personal life; a reminder about joy. [45:12]
* How walking has helped Sarah and the benefits of letting the mind wander. [49:25]
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 Sarah:
* Website: https://joinfound.com/
* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joinfound
Follow Yasmin:
* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yasminknouri/
* Stay updated & subscribe to our newsletter: https://www.behindherempire.com/
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Payal Kadakia is the founder of ClassPass, the revolutionary fitness and wellness platform which provides people access to the best boutique fitness classes, gyms, and wellness experiences around the world.
Prior to its acquisition by MindBody in October 2021, ClassPass was valued at over a billion dollars, with members logging more than 100 million workouts across 30,000 partner studios in over 30 countries. If that wasn’t impressive enough, Payal is also the founder and artistic director of the Sa Dance Company, which she founded in 2009 to increase awareness of Indian dance in the mainstream.
Payal has been listed as one of Fast Company’s 100 Most Creative People and was named in Fortune’s 40 Under 40 list. She is also the author of the new book, LifePass: Drop Your Limits, Rise to Your Potential, which hits shelves on Feb 15.
In today’s episode, we touch on the ways that Payal’s Indian heritage has impacted the woman & entrepreneur she is today, why you have to ask yourself the hard questions in life, the importance of not getting wrapped up in what Payal calls the ‘false signals’ of success, as well as the benefits of choosing impact over perfection. We also candidly talk about the early days of building ClassPass, how it took over three years to gain any traction, the many lessons she learned along the way, and so much more.
In this episode, we’ll talk to Payal about:
* How her Indian heritage has informed the woman that Payal is today. [4:30]
* Practical tips for taking a leap of faith: allow your vision to be your motivator! [11:30]
* The value of asking the hard questions and pursuing the goals you truly want. [13:55]
* How Payal approached the topic of risk-taking with her risk-averse parents. [19:40]
* When she realized that she had to follow her passions and start her own business. [22:27]
* Find out why she believes that it’s important to set boundaries with some people. [24:00]
* How to cultivate the right mindset while you are building your business. [26:57]
* Why Payal suggests starting with a problem you personally need solved as an entrepreneur. [28:17]
* The importance of not getting caught up in the “false signals of success.” [30:05]
* The crucial role that failure played in Payal’s journey as an entrepreneur. [31:33]
* How Payal overcame perfectionism and her suggestions for other entrepreneurs. [34:20]
* Hear the story of when Payal first knew that ClassPass was a success. [37:12]
* Why she believes that the universe opened doors for her when she started doing the work that aligned with her spirit. [39:02]
* Advice for women who have lost sight of their passions [40:26]
* How Payal juggles motherhood, dance, and business by letting her priorities guide her time. [42:22]
* Payal’s philosophy on guilt; when you love what you do, there’s no place for guilt. [43:34]
* How her dual identity has served her throughout her life and in her business. [45:12]
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 Payal:
* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/payal/
* Payal's Book: LifePass: Drop Your Limits, Rise to Your Potential - https://www.amazon.com/LifePass-Develop-Mindset-Techniques-Optimize/dp/179720694X
* ClassPass: https://classpass.com/
Follow Yasmin:
* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yasminknouri/
* Stay updated & subscribe to our newsletter: https://www.behindherempire.com/
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Daria Burke is a recognized leader in the field of fashion & technology marketing and most recently served as the Chief Marketing Officer for JustFab, a fashion-subscription eCommerce site, and lifestyle fashion brand.
She is a visionary leader and storyteller and has held many leadership positions across a variety of industries. After moving to New York, she took a risk, left a reputable company, took a pay cut, and became one of the first employees of Rent the Runway. She has also worked for esteemed brands like Estee Lauder, Lancôme, and Yves Saint Laurent. She then served as the Head of Beauty Strategy, Growth, and Innovation at CVS, and transitioned to working at Facebook where she led their beauty, fashion, and retail partnerships.
Daria was named as a 2020 “Woman to Watch” by AdAge, and has been recognized by Women’s Wear Daily, the CFDA, Vogue, and Forbes. She’s also an active angel investor and is a member of the Fast Company executive board.
In today's episode, Daria shares the benefits of reinventing yourself and switching careers. We discuss the things that commonly hold us back from taking leaps like this, the challenges of putting your ego aside to become a beginner, and some of the lessons she has learned throughout her many career moves.
We also discuss how to discover your strengths and double down on them, the importance of listening to your gut, and how to stop being a perfectionist & start living an inspired life.
In this episode, we’ll talk to Daria about:
* Three things that may be holding someone back from switching careers. [3:15]
* How Daria views the challenge of putting your ego aside to be a beginner. [6:05]
* Daria’s childhood and the influence of her grandmother on her life and ambitions. [8:34]
* How she realized she could have a life beyond the challenging circumstances of her childhood. [12:44]
* What it took to leave a reputable job to go work for Rent the Runway in its infancy. [19:50]
* What she learned from working at Rent the Runway. [22:41]
* Insight into CliftonStrengths and why it’s so beneficial to play into your strengths. [25:36]
* Daria’s fascination with internal transformation and insight into her process of reinvention. [31:21]
* Daria’s advice on how to get your mind to listen to your gut instinct. [37:41]
* The benefits of not forcing things but working from a place of inspiration and receptivity. [42:59]
* How Daria overcame being a perfectionist. [45:53]
* An example of a situation where Daria surrendered instead of being a perfectionist. [49:23]
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 Daria:
* Daria Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dariaburke/
Follow Yasmin:
* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yasminknouri/
* Stay updated & subscribe to our newsletter: https://www.behindherempire.com/
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Melanie Strong is a founding partner of Next Ventures, a VC firm she co-founded with Lance Armstrong that focuses on building the next generation of sports, health and wellness brands.
Melanie has spent her entire life in the sports industry. She’s a lifelong runner and started her career as a journalist at Runner's World magazine. She then applied for a position at Nike despite not having the “right” pedigree, college background, and experience.
Good thing she did because she ended up having an incredibly successful career at Nike, spending most of her time at Nike building high-performing teams all over the world and holding positions from the VP of Global Brand Marketing for Nike Women to the GM of Nike Skateboarding.
After 18 years at Nike, Melanie had the opportunity to break into the world of venture capital. She left her very stable career to start from scratch and become a first-time investor AND fund founder. In our conversation, Melanie opens up about how she faced her fears when reinventing herself later in her career and overcoming the imposter syndrome she felt when breaking into a male-dominated industry.✨
You'll also hear some honest reflections on the founder-investor relationship and who is the right fit for VC funding, along with some empowering advice for founders seeking funding. We also discuss the importance of authentic relationships in life & business, how to build a unique brand in the environment we’re in today, and so much more!
In this episode, we’ll talk to Melanie about:
* Modeling other people's versions of success, and tips for being more comfortable in your own skin. [3:09]
* Melanie shares about how her upbringing created her positive mindset. [7:10]
* Hear about her various interesting jobs leading up to Nike. [9:10]
* The story of who inspired her and how she got her starting role at Nike. [11:42]
* Speaking about the power of networking and mentorship. [18:23]
* The power of people and true relationships. [19:34]
* What she looks for in a founder. [20:53]
* The importance of the right advisors and some of her mentors. [22:46]
* Melanie reflects on being an angel investor and why it took her so long to do. [25:15]
* Taking the leap to leave Nike and steps to overcome imposter syndrome. [29:11]
* How the feedback processes have changed and some companies that she feels confident in. [33:40]
* Some top advice for thinking about your company as a brand. [0:38:14]
* Melanie and Yasmin each share the hacks that keep them anchored into their purpose. [44:27]
* Diving into greater detail on traits she looks for in a founder and what a founder-investor relationship needs. [47:02]
* Talking about founders who are focussed on the exit and the impact of that. [49:30]
* Who she thinks is and isn't the right fit for VC funding, and comments on fundraising [52:51]
* Melanie's comments on due diligence plus some great advice to founders. [56:45]
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 Melanie:
* Melanie’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melaniestrong/
* Website: https://nextventures.com/
Follow Yasmin:
* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yasminknouri/
* Stay updated & subscribe to our newsletter: https://www.behindherempire.com/
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Our TOPPODCAST Picks 
