Entreprenista

Latest Episodes:

Tapping the Power of Your Network with Emily DiDonato and Christina Garcia of Covey Jan 07, 2022

Show notes

Emily DiDonato and Christina Garcia are the Co-founders of Covey, a direct-to-consumer skincare company that simplifies beauty and skincare for everyone. In addition to serving as Covey’s Chief Content Officer, Emily is a certified health coach, yoga teacher, and model who has been featured on the cover of several magazines, including Vogue, Numero, and Elle. For more than 10 years, Christina has worked with Google, serving as Senior Digital Marketing Executive prior to working on Covey full-time. Together, Emily and Christina are taking the guesswork out of skincare to develop a foolproof routine for everyone.

Emily and Christina join us today to discuss what sets Covey apart from other brands in the beauty and skincare industry. They share how they have maintained their friendship while building a business and explain how their skill sets complement each other. They outline why choosing the right business partners can be the key to success and how they’ve seen success with user-generated content in their marketing campaigns. They also highlight why momentum is pivotal in business growth and underscore the power of resilience.

“When finding someone to partner with, be transparent and aligned. Choose a partner who is invested and cares about you and your product.” - Emily DiDonato

This week’s takeaways from Entreprenista:

How Emily and Christina started their friendship and decided, planned, and co-founded their businessApproaching product development and how Covey created its skincare productsHow long it usually takes to develop a productThe whitelabeling approach to product development and why it took three years for Covey to develop their productsThe process of partnering with doctors and dermatologists for skin care product developmentHow Covey launched its product amid the pandemicCreating a social-digital momentWhat sets Covey apart from other beauty and skincare productsTheir advice for bootstrapping a business What the SAFE agreement means and how Emily and Christina implemented their first fundraising round for CoveyTheir advice for tapping into the power of your networkThe ultimate vision for Covey and how the size of the company’s team has grown from launchThe biggest business challenges they’ve faced eight months after launching Covey

Our Favorite Quotes:

“When finding the right person to partner with, ensure that your values are aligned.” - Christina Garcia“Being an Entreprenista is about being a woman in business who connects with, helps, and lifts other women in business.” - Emily DiDonato“Being an Entreprenista is about having that drive and resilience to make things happen, and the community of support that you build.” - Christina Garcia

Connect with Covey:

CoveyCovey on LinkedInCovey on InstagramCovey on FacebookCovey on TwitterCovey on YouTubeCovey on TikTok

Connect with Emily DiDonato:

Emily DiDonato WebsiteEmily DiDonato on LinkedInEmily DiDonato on InstagramEmily DiDonato on YouTubeEmily DiDonato on FacebookEmily DiDonato on Twitter

Connect with Christina Garcia:

Christina Garcia on LinkedInChristina Garcia on Instagram

If you’re looking to take your business to the next level:

Join our Entreprenista League community of women founders! You’ll have access to a private community of like-minded Entreprenistas who are making an impact in business every day, special discounts on business products and solutions, exclusive content, private events, the opportunity to have your story featured on our website and social channels, and MORE!

Whether you’re looking to scale your existing business and want to make the r...

Building a Mission-Driven Business with Whitney Tingle of Sakara Life Jan 03, 2022

Show notes

Whitney Tingle is the CEO and Co-founder of Sakara Life, a health, wellness, and fitness company that delivers organic, plant-rich meals and functional products. After completing her Bachelorâs degree and graduating magna cum laude from the University of Arizona, Whitney began her career in financial services. She interned as a financial advisor for Merrill Lynch and later served as a sales and marketing associate at Merlin Securities. She then became the Business Development and Marketing Executive for R.E. Davis Group before co-founding Sakara Life in 2011 with her best friend and business partner, Danielle Duboise.

Whitney joins us today to discuss the genesis of Sakara Life and underscore the importance of being on a mission when building a company. She highlights the importance of believing in yourself and the business youâre building and shares her advice for navigating the early stages of fundraising. She also explains what it means to âput on the chicken suitâ and details how continually challenging yourself can create an exciting and purposeful Entreprenista journey.

âA mission is something that serves others. If you can find your mission, you can better serve more people. And the better you can serve, the more successful your business will be.â - Whitney Tingle

This weekâs takeaways from Entreprenista:

Whitneyâs background, her career in Wall Street, and why she built Sakara Life
How the Wall Street work culture impacted Whitneyâs health
The mission that sparked Sakara Life
How they transitioned from bootstrapping Sakara Life to raising capital for the company
The importance of believing in the business youâre building
How much Sakara Life raised in their first round of fundraising
The bias in venture capitalism and Whitneyâs advice for raising capital
What keeps Whitney going through tough business days
Why itâs important to put your mission at the heart of your business
Sakara Lifeâs first hire and how the companyâs team has evolved
What it was like to hire 100 people during a pandemic
Keeping company culture alive while working remotely
Why companies should use Slack
What itâs like to build and scale a business with your best friend
Practicing gratitude in business and life and Whitneyâs favorite Sakara Life snack
How Whitney balances her work at Sakara Life and her role as a mom

Resources Mentioned:

Book: Fiber Fueled: The Plant-Based Gut Health Program for Losing Weight, Restoring Your Health, and Optimizing Your Microbiome by Will Bulsiewicz, MD
Slack

Our Favorite Quotes:

âYou need to put on that chicken suit if youâre raising money. If you want it enough and believe in yourself and business enough, nothing will stand in your way.â - Whitney Tingle
âYour business will always ask you how much you want it, and you have to continue to show up for it, to keep saying âyesâ to it.â - Whitney Tingle
âBeing an Entreprenista means having creative ideas and bringing them to reality as something you can touch, feel, and share with others.â - Whitney Tingle

Connect with Whitney Tingle:

If youâre looking to take your business to the next level:

Join our Entreprenista League community of women founders! Youâll have access to a private community of like-minded Entreprenistas who are making an impact in business every day, special discounts on business products and solutions, exclusive content, private events, the opportunity to have your story featured on our website and social channels, and MORE!

Whether youâre looking to scale your existing business and want to make the right connections, or youâre thinking about finally taking the leap to launch your business, weâre here to give you access to a community of women who will celebrate your every step, and with whom you can share the candid reality of building a business from scratch.

Join the Entreprenista League today at entreprenista.com/join. We canât wait to welcome you, support you, and be part of your business journey!

Say âHello!â To DigiCardsâ¢

Are you ready to take your virtual team meetings to the next level? Are you tired of yelling âYouâre on mute!â at your computer screen and letting the important points you were trying to make get lost?

If youâre tired of leading unproductive, distraction-filled team meetings, then itâs time for you to say âHello!â to DigiCards. Each pack of virtual meeting cards include 20 color-coded professional cards designed to streamline your meeting communications while allowing each meeting to create an opportunity for collaboration and fun.

Say âGoodbye!â to waving your arms, being ignored, and frantically typing in the chat.

Start your next virtual meeting with DigiCards - the virtual meeting cards for entreprenistas.

To grab your deck of DigiCards and bring fun, engagement, and collaboration back into your team meetings, visit www.hellodigicards.com. Use the coupon code: Entreprenista10 to receive 10% off your first order.

Become An Entreprenista!

Thanks for tuning into this weekâs episode of The Entreprenista Podcast - the most fun business meeting for female founders, by female founders. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the show and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts.

Be sure to share your favorite episodes across social media to help us reach more amazing female founders, like you.

Donât forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn and for more exclusive content, tips, and insight, join the Entreprenistas Facebook group and visit the SocialFly website.

Building a Mission-Driven Business with Whitney Tingle of Sakara Life Dec 29, 2021

Show notes

Whitney Tingle is the CEO and Co-founder of Sakara Life, a health, wellness, and fitness company that delivers organic, plant-rich meals and functional products. After completing her Bachelor’s degree and graduating magna cum laude from the University of Arizona, Whitney began her career in financial services. She interned as a financial advisor for Merrill Lynch and later served as a sales and marketing associate at Merlin Securities. She then became the Business Development and Marketing Executive for R.E. Davis Group before co-founding Sakara Life in 2011 with her best friend and business partner, Danielle Duboise.

Whitney joins us today to discuss the genesis of Sakara Life and underscore the importance of being on a mission when building a company. She highlights the importance of believing in yourself and the business you’re building and shares her advice for navigating the early stages of fundraising. She also explains what it means to “put on the chicken suit” and details how continually challenging yourself can create an exciting and purposeful Entreprenista journey.

“A mission is something that serves others. If you can find your mission, you can better serve more people. And the better you can serve, the more successful your business will be.” - Whitney Tingle

This week’s takeaways from Entreprenista:

Whitney’s background, her career in Wall Street, and why she built Sakara LifeHow the Wall Street work culture impacted Whitney’s healthThe mission that sparked Sakara LifeHow they transitioned from bootstrapping Sakara Life to raising capital for the companyThe importance of believing in the business you’re buildingHow much Sakara Life raised in their first round of fundraisingThe bias in venture capitalism and Whitney’s advice for raising capitalWhat keeps Whitney going through tough business daysWhy it’s important to put your mission at the heart of your businessSakara Life’s first hire and how the company’s team has evolvedWhat it was like to hire 100 people during a pandemicKeeping company culture alive while working remotelyWhy companies should use SlackWhat it’s like to build and scale a business with your best friend

Practicing gratitude in business and life and Whitney’s favorite Sakara Life snackHow Whitney balances her work at Sakara Life and her role as a mom

Resources Mentioned:

Book: Fiber Fueled: The Plant-Based Gut Health Program for Losing Weight, Restoring Your Health, and Optimizing Your Microbiome by Will Bulsiewicz, MDSlack

Our Favorite Quotes:

“You need to put on that chicken suit if you’re raising money. If you want it enough and believe in yourself and business enough, nothing will stand in your way.” - Whitney Tingle“Your business will always ask you how much you want it, and you have to continue to show up for it, to keep saying ‘yes’ to it.” - Whitney Tingle“Being an Entreprenista means having creative ideas and bringing them to reality as something you can touch, feel, and share with others.” - Whitney Tingle

Connect with Whitney Tingle:

Sakara LifeBook: Eat Clean: Play Dirty: Recipes for a Body and Life You LoveSakara Life on LinkedInSakara Life on InstagramSakara Life on FacebookSakara Life on TikTokSakara Life on YouTubeWhitney Tingle on LinkedIn

If you’re looking to take your business to the next level:

End of the Year Recap 2021 Dec 27, 2021

Show notes

2020 felt like the year that never ended. While every month in 2020 felt like three years condensed, 2021 just breezed byâwe blinked, took a breath, and here we are, almost at the end of the year, planning for 2022. It only goes to show that life is so precious and short that you need to make the most of every moment, celebrate your wins, and take all your learning opportunities to heart.

In this episode, we take the time to pause and reflect on the highs, the lows, and the lessons weâve learned in 2021. We share how our professional and personal lives changed in 2021 and the lessons we learned from running multiple businesses. We also discuss the mission behind the Entreprenista League, describe the biggest blessing we received this year, and underscore the importance of listening to your brandâs community.

âTake the time to pause and celebrate the winsâeven the small onesâbecause they all add up to larger ones.â - Stephanie Cartin

This weekâs takeaways from Entreprenista:

The lessons we learned from running multiple businesses
Putting together a new mission statement and team for SocialFly
Operating from the startup mindset and what helped Courtney stay patient throughout the year
Courtneyâs advice on how much time you should give a business initiative before calling it off
What Stephanie learned from launching the Entreprenista League community
The mission behind the Entreprenista League
Paying it forward to women entrepreneurs and the biggest blessing weâve had this year

Our Favorite Quotes:

âThe mentality you have when you start a business may not be the right mindset to get you where you want to go, and you might need to do different things to get to the next level.â - Courtney Spritzer
âWhen youâre implementing a new initiative, you have to give it time to work.â - Courtney Spritzer
âYou have to build an audience, brand evangelists, and ambassadorsâpeople who genuinely want to follow and support or buy your product or service.â - Stephanie Cartin

Help More Female Entrepreneurs & Leaders Through the IFundWomen Campaign

We are thrilled to announce that our iFundWomen campaign is now live! We have supported so many women through Entreprenista, and we're excited to share this opportunity with you to support our campaign and continue to help women business owners and leaders.

Our funding goal is $100,000 - which means that every dollar counts. The best part? We've created incredible rewards that will help you as part of our campaign!

When you pledge to the iFundWomen Campaign, youâll receive:

An exclusive Entreprenista League Membership rate
Dedicated Instagram and website features to promote you and your business
Interviews on the Entreprenista podcast and our new podcast that's launching in 2022 - Startups In Stilettos
One-on-one sessions with Stephanie or Courtney
...and so much more

Visit iFundWomen.com/Projects/Entreprenista to contribute any amount you feel comfortable with.

Seriously. Every dollar, every share, and every mention on social media to your network counts and is beyond appreciated. Thank you for supporting us and women everywhere.

If youâre looking to take your business to the next level:

Join the Entreprenista League today at entreprenista.com/join. We canât wait to welcome you, support you, and be part of your business journey!

Say âHello!â To DigiCardsâ¢

Say âGoodbye!â to waving your arms, being ignored, and frantically typing in the chat.

Start your next virtual meeting with DigiCards - the virtual meeting cards for entreprenistas.

Become An Entreprenista!

Be sure to share your favorite episodes across social media to help us reach more amazing female founders, like you.

Donât forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn and for more exclusive content, tips, and insight, join the Entreprenistas Facebook group and visit the SocialFly website.

End of the Year Recap 2021 with Stephanie + Courtney Dec 23, 2021

Show notes

2020 felt like the year that never ended. While every month in 2020 felt like three years condensed, 2021 just breezed by—we blinked, took a breath, and here we are, almost at the end of the year, planning for 2022. It only goes to show that life is so precious and short that you need to make the most of every moment, celebrate your wins, and take all your learning opportunities to heart.

In this episode, we take the time to pause and reflect on the highs, the lows, and the lessons we’ve learned in 2021. We share how our professional and personal lives changed in 2021 and the lessons we learned from running multiple businesses. We also discuss the mission behind the Entreprenista League, describe the biggest blessing we received this year, and underscore the importance of listening to your brand’s community.

“Take the time to pause and celebrate the wins—even the small ones—because they all add up to larger ones.” - Stephanie Cartin

This week’s takeaways from Entreprenista:

The lessons we learned from running multiple businessesPutting together a new mission statement and team for SocialFlyOperating from the startup mindset and what helped Courtney stay patient throughout the yearCourtney’s advice on how much time you should give a business initiative before calling it offWhat Stephanie learned from launching the Entreprenista League communityThe mission behind the Entreprenista LeaguePaying it forward to women entrepreneurs and the biggest blessing we’ve had this year

Our Favorite Quotes:

“The mentality you have when you start a business may not be the right mindset to get you where you want to go, and you might need to do different things to get to the next level.” - Courtney Spritzer“When you’re implementing a new initiative, you have to give it time to work.” - Courtney Spritzer“You have to build an audience, brand evangelists, and ambassadors—people who genuinely want to follow and support or buy your product or service.” - Stephanie Cartin

Help More Female Entrepreneurs & Leaders Through the IFundWomen Campaign

Our funding goal is $100,000 - which means that every dollar counts. The best part? We've created incredible rewards that will help you as part of our campaign!

When you pledge to the iFundWomen Campaign, you’ll receive:

An exclusive Entreprenista League Membership rateDedicated Instagram and website features to promote you and your businessInterviews on the Entreprenista podcast and our new podcast that's launching in 2022 - Startups In StilettosOne-on-one sessions with Stephanie or Courtney...and so much more

Visit iFundWomen.com/Projects/Entreprenista to contribute any amount you feel comfortable with.

Seriously. Every dollar, every share, and every mention on social media to your network counts and is beyond appreciated. Thank you for supporting us and women everywhere.

If you’re looking to take your business to the next level:

Whether you’re looking to scale your existing bus...

The New PR: Growing and Scaling a Community-Based Business with Jamie Hess of NYCFitFam Dec 20, 2021

Show notes

Jamie Hess is a public relations expert, influencer, and fitness and wellness mentor who encourages women to seek help and accountability in the areas they need it most. Alongside her husband, Jamie created NYCFitFam, a platform where she shares her health and fitness knowledge with women worldwide. Being a public relations veteran with over 20 years of experience in the industry, Jamie worked as the Senior Vice President of the Narrative Group before focusing on her mission to empower women.

Jamie joins us today to discuss why she believes in âthe art of follow-up.â She explains how to show up for yourself and your brandâs community and shares why her North Star is being of service to women. She describes what is needed to transform your side hustle into your full-time hustle and discusses how she empowers women to ask for help and accountability. Jamie also underscores why itâs important for influencers to show more than just the good stuff on the gram and highlights the steps to consider when starting a community-based business.

âMaking a leap from corporate to pursue a side hustle is scary, butâdone with a plan and a passionâit can lead you to a life beyond your wildest dreams.â - Jamie Hess

This weekâs takeaways from Entreprenista:

Jamieâs early days in public relations and how she learned âthe art of follow-upâ
Starting NYCFitFam and making the leap of faith from the corporate world to pursuing a side-hustle
Her strategies for moving from a 9-to-5 to starting your own business
The value of a multi-channel business and why you shouldnât put all your eggs in the influencer basket
The first brands Jamie worked with when she became an influencer
Jamieâs advice for reaching out and pitching to an influencer
Her podcast, Off the Gram, and building a community during a pandemic
Her tips for starting and growing a podcast
The mission behind Jamieâs Big Ask program and the power of living life with support and accountability
Why having a mission as the foundation of your business is crucial
How Jamie finds new people to be members of her coaching program
The value of having an executive coach
Why she doesnât look at foibles as mistakes and what it means to lead with happiness
Jamieâs favorite workout routines and her advice for sticking to an exercise habit

Resources Mentioned:

Planoly

Our Favorite Quotes:

âItâs important to have a North Star and approach your business from a place of mission.â - Jamie Hess
âYou want to be an influencer who wants to show the good stuff, but also whatâs real.â - Jamie Hess
âSitting in the fear of making a mistake is worse than walking through the fire.â - Jamie Hess

Connect with Jamie Hess:

Help More Female Entrepreneurs & Leaders Through the IFundWomen Campaign

Our funding goal is $100,000 - which means that every dollar counts. The best part? We've created incredible rewards that will help you as part of our campaign!

When you pledge to the iFundWomen Campaign, youâll receive:

An exclusive Entreprenista League Membership rate
Dedicated Instagram and website features to promote you and your business
Interviews on the Entreprenista podcast and our new podcast that's launching in 2022 - Startups In Stilettos
One-on-one sessions with Stephanie or Courtney
...and so much more

Visit iFundWomen.com/Projects/Entreprenista to contribute any amount you feel comfortable with.

Seriously. Every dollar, every share, and every mention on social media to your network counts and is beyond appreciated. Thank you for supporting us and women everywhere.

If youâre looking to take your business to the next level:

Join the Entreprenista League today at entreprenista.com/join. We canât wait to welcome you, support you, and be part of your business journey!

Say âHello!â To DigiCardsâ¢

Say âGoodbye!â to waving your arms, being ignored, and frantically typing in the chat.

Start your next virtual meeting with DigiCards - the virtual meeting cards for entreprenistas.

Become An Entreprenista!

Be sure to share your favorite episodes across social media to help us reach more amazing female founders, like you.

Donât forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn and for more exclusive content, tips, and insight, join the Entreprenistas Facebook group and visit the SocialFly website.

The New PR: Growing and Scaling a Community-Based Business with Jamie Hess of NYCFitFam Dec 17, 2021

Show notes

Jamie joins us today to discuss why she believes in “the art of follow-up.” She explains how to show up for yourself and your brand’s community and shares why her North Star is being of service to women. She describes what is needed to transform your side hustle into your full-time hustle and discusses how she empowers women to ask for help and accountability. Jamie also underscores why it’s important for influencers to show more than just the good stuff on the gram and highlights the steps to consider when starting a community-based business.

“Making a leap from corporate to pursue a side hustle is scary, but—done with a plan and a passion—it can lead you to a life beyond your wildest dreams.” - Jamie Hess

This week’s takeaways from Entreprenista:

Jamie’s early days in public relations and how she learned “the art of follow-up”Starting NYCFitFam and making the leap of faith from the corporate world to pursuing a side-hustleHer strategies for moving from a 9-to-5 to starting your own businessThe value of a multi-channel business and why you shouldn’t put all your eggs in the influencer basketThe first brands Jamie worked with when she became an influencerJamie’s advice for reaching out and pitching to an influencerHer podcast, Off the Gram, and building a community during a pandemicHer tips for starting and growing a podcastThe mission behind Jamie’s Big Ask program and the power of living life with support and accountabilityWhy having a mission as the foundation of your business is crucialHow Jamie finds new people to be members of her coaching programThe value of having an executive coachWhy she doesn’t look at foibles as mistakes and what it means to lead with happinessJamie’s favorite workout routines and her advice for sticking to an exercise habit

Resources Mentioned:

Planoly

Our Favorite Quotes:

“It’s important to have a North Star and approach your business from a place of mission.” - Jamie Hess“You want to be an influencer who wants to show the good stuff, but also what’s real.” - Jamie Hess“Sitting in the fear of making a mistake is worse than walking through the fire.” - Jamie Hess

Connect with Jamie Hess:

The Big Ask MethodNYCFitFamOff the Gram PodcastNYCFitFam on InstagramNYCFitFam on TwitterNYCFitFam on YouTubeOff the Gram InstagramJamie Hess on LinkedIn

Help More Female Entrepreneurs & Leaders Through the IFundWomen Campaign

Our funding goal is $100,000 - which means that every dollar counts. The best part? We've created incredible rewards that will help you as part of our campaign!

When you pledge to the iFundWomen Campaign, you’ll receive:

Building a Binge-Worthy Brand for a Thriving Business with Nikki Arensman Dec 13, 2021

Show notes

Nikki Arensman is an entrepreneur, brand designer, and strategist. She was formerly the CEO and Co-founder of the womenâs activewear company, Jiva Activewear. When she sold the company in 2017, Nikki transformed her talent and passion for branding into her own brand marketing agency, Nikki Arensman LLC. Through her business, she equips women entrepreneurs with the tools they need to turn what theyâre passionate about into a profitable business and a beautiful brand.

Nikki joins us today to explain how to build a thriving business through killer branding. She shares why itâs important to begin right after you come up with a business idea and discusses the value of playing to your strengths when building a company. She describes the process of selling a company as well as how she discovered her passion for building brands. Nikki also underscores the role of mastering communication around a brandâs mission and offers advice for building a binge-worthy brand.

âBrand strategy allows you to present to your community, audience, and customers what they need and desire before they even know they need it.â - Nikki Arensman

This weekâs takeaways from Entreprenista:

The power of communities, groups, and networks
The evolution of Nikkiâs first business, Jiva, and how it led her to found her current business
The lessons Nikki learned from starting her first company
The process Nikki underwent to sell her business
How Nikki discovered her passion for brand building and strategy
What itâs like to work with a brand marketing agency
The different branding services and strategies Nikki offers through her agency
How to build a community of your brandâs supporters
The biggest struggles and achievements of Nikkiâs Entreprenista journey
The importance of trying new things and opening up to risk
How Nikki kept moving forward in the early days of her business despite rejections and hard times
Why you donât need a big team or a huge budget to make a business work

Resources Mentioned:

Canva
Squarespace
Book: Everything Is Figureoutable by Marie Forleo

Our Favorite Quotes:

âBrand strategy and brand design impact how businesses grow and how they get themselves out there.â - Nikki Arensman
âBrandâs identity is showing up with your best foot forward; itâs dressing the part for what you want to do in this world.â - Nikki Arensman
âWhen it comes to selling your business or exit plan, have patience, donât be in a rush, make smart decisions, and find other people who have sold businesses before.â - Nikki Arensman

Connect with Nikki Arensman:

Help More Female Entrepreneurs & Leaders Through the IFundWomen Campaign

Our funding goal is $100,000 - which means that every dollar counts. The best part? We've created incredible rewards that will help you as part of our campaign!

When you pledge to the iFundWomen Campaign, youâll receive:

An exclusive Entreprenista League Membership rate
Dedicated Instagram and website features to promote you and your business
Interviews on the Entreprenista podcast and our new podcast that's launching in 2022 - Startups In Stilettos
One-on-one sessions with Stephanie or Courtney
...and so much more

Visit iFundWomen.com/Projects/Entreprenista to contribute any amount you feel comfortable with.

Seriously. Every dollar, every share, and every mention on social media to your network counts and is beyond appreciated. Thank you for supporting us and women everywhere.

If youâre looking to take your business to the next level:

Join the Entreprenista League today at entreprenista.com/join. We canât wait to welcome you, support you, and be part of your business journey!

Say âHello!â To DigiCardsâ¢

Say âGoodbye!â to waving your arms, being ignored, and frantically typing in the chat.

Start your next virtual meeting with DigiCards - the virtual meeting cards for entreprenistas.

Become An Entreprenista!

Be sure to share your favorite episodes across social media to help us reach more amazing female founders, like you.

Donât forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn and for more exclusive content, tips, and insight, join the Entreprenistas Facebook group and visit the SocialFly website.

Building a Binge-Worthy Brand for a Thriving Business with Nikki Arensman Dec 10, 2021

Show notes

Nikki Arensman is an entrepreneur, brand designer, and strategist. She was formerly the CEO and Co-founder of the women’s activewear company, Jiva Activewear. When she sold the company in 2017, Nikki transformed her talent and passion for branding into her own brand marketing agency, Nikki Arensman LLC. Through her business, she equips women entrepreneurs with the tools they need to turn what they’re passionate about into a profitable business and a beautiful brand.

Nikki joins us today to explain how to build a thriving business through killer branding. She shares why it’s important to begin right after you come up with a business idea and discusses the value of playing to your strengths when building a company. She describes the process of selling a company as well as how she discovered her passion for building brands. Nikki also underscores the role of mastering communication around a brand’s mission and offers advice for building a binge-worthy brand.

“Brand strategy allows you to present to your community, audience, and customers what they need and desire before they even know they need it.” - Nikki Arensman

This week’s takeaways from Entreprenista:

The power of communities, groups, and networksThe evolution of Nikki’s first business, Jiva, and how it led her to found her current businessThe lessons Nikki learned from starting her first companyThe process Nikki underwent to sell her businessHow Nikki discovered her passion for brand building and strategyWhat it’s like to work with a brand marketing agencyThe different branding services and strategies Nikki offers through her agencyHow to build a community of your brand’s supportersThe biggest struggles and achievements of Nikki’s Entreprenista journeyThe importance of trying new things and opening up to riskHow Nikki kept moving forward in the early days of her business despite rejections and hard timesWhy you don’t need a big team or a huge budget to make a business work

Resources Mentioned:

CanvaSquarespaceBook: Everything Is Figureoutable by Marie Forleo

Our Favorite Quotes:

“Brand strategy and brand design impact how businesses grow and how they get themselves out there.” - Nikki Arensman“Brand’s identity is showing up with your best foot forward; it’s dressing the part for what you want to do in this world.” - Nikki Arensman“When it comes to selling your business or exit plan, have patience, don’t be in a rush, make smart decisions, and find other people who have sold businesses before.” - Nikki Arensman

Connect with Nikki Arensman:

Nikki Arensman WebsitePodcast: The Business of BrandingNikki Arensman LLC on LinkedInNikki Arensman on LinkedInNikki Arensman on InstagramNikki Arensman on FacebookNikki Arensman on Pinterest

Help More Female Entrepreneurs & Leaders Through the IFundWomen Campaign

Our funding goal is $100,000 - which means that every dollar counts. The best part? We've created incredible rewards that will help you as part of our campaign!

When you pledge to the iFundWomen Campaign, you’ll receive:

Fundraising and the Founders Network with Madeline Fraser of Gemist Dec 06, 2021

Show notes

Madeline Fraser is the CEO and Founder of Gemist, the first mobile app to allow users to design jewelry and try it on at home before purchasing it. Having grown problem-solving tech startups in the past, Madeline founded Gemist to turn the custom jewelry process into something personal and modern for consumers. Before creating Gemist, Madeline served as the CMO and Co-founder of the tech companies, ZOOM Interiors and Hutch. She received her Bachelorâs degree in Fine Arts, Interior Design, and Architecture at George Washington University in 2014.

Madeline joins us today to share her advice on weathering the fundraising process. She discusses the lessons she learned from co-founding her previous two companies and describes what it was like to pitch in Shark Tank. She explains how the founder of Tinder became her mentor and why failures turn us into stronger business owners. She also outlines how venture capitalists invest during the pandemic and underscores the importance of building a network with other founders.

âFundraising is networking and tapping into the founder network.â - Madeline Fraser

This weekâs takeaways from Entreprenista:

Madelineâs background as an Entreprenista and how she turned her passion for design into a business
Her experience collaborating with the CEO of Tinder
What it means to found a company and Gemistâs backstory
How mistakes and failure help us become stronger people and business owners
Figuring out your brandâs point of difference and making a splash in the market
Turning an idea into a brand and the steps Madeline took toward launching Gemist
Madelineâs tips for navigating the fundraising process
The value of creating a network with other founders
Madelineâs strategies for starting the fundraising process and keeping track of her network
The challenges of fundraising during the COVID-19 pandemic
How venture capitalists have shifted their investing mindset during the pandemic
Being your own cheerleader and the role of self-care in the fundraising process

Resources Mentioned:

Streak
Slack

Our Favorite Quotes:

âFail fast, fix fast, and learn fast.â - Madeline Fraser
âUnderstanding consumer behavior and making things easier is everything for the digital consumer in a tech world.â - Madeline Fraser
âSometimes, the best thing you can walk away with is a new connection and a new introduction, so keep talking to 10 people a day when youâre in the thick of fundraising.â - Madeline Fraser

Connect with Madeline Fraser:

Help More Female Entrepreneurs & Leaders Through the IFundWomen Campaign

Our funding goal is $100,000 - which means that every dollar counts. The best part? We've created incredible rewards that will help you as part of our campaign!

When you pledge to the iFundWomen Campaign, youâll receive:

An exclusive Entreprenista League Membership rate
Dedicated Instagram and website features to promote you and your business
Interviews on the Entreprenista podcast and our new podcast that's launching in 2022 - Startups In Stilettos
One-on-one sessions with Stephanie or Courtney
...and so much more

Visit iFundWomen.com/Projects/Entreprenista to contribute any amount you feel comfortable with.

Seriously. Every dollar, every share, and every mention on social media to your network counts and is beyond appreciated. Thank you for supporting us and women everywhere.

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