Build The Damn Thing with Kathryn Finney

In this episode of Build a Damn Thing, host Kathryn Finney speaks with Francesca Hogi, a lawyer turned entrepreneur and author, about her journey from corporate law to matchmaking. They discuss the importance of navigating life changes, finding one's passion, and the financial preparations necessary for career transitions. Francesca shares insights on creating multiple income streams, overcoming fear in entrepreneurship, and the significance of aligning business with personal values. The conversation emphasizes that entrepreneurship is nzot just about profit but also about purpose and helping others.

Takeaways

1. Francesca experienced a pivotal moment that led her to leave law.
2. It's important to confront the shame associated with career changes.
3. Having multiple income streams can provide financial security.
4. Starting a side hustle can help test entrepreneurial waters.
5. Fear is a natural part of entrepreneurship; facing it is crucial.
6. Networking and telling people about your new venture is essential.
7. Pricing your services appropriately is key to sustainability.
8. Transitioning careers can take time and requires strategic planning.
9. Aligning your business with your personal values enhances fulfillment.
10. Entrepreneurship offers the chance to create a life you love.

In this episode of Build a Damn Thing, host Kathryn Finney speaks with Elina Pantelyeva, the founder of Dood Woof, about her journey from being laid off in the tech industry to building a successful brand for dog lovers. Elina shares her insights on identifying target audiences, product development, and the importance of authenticity in creating loyal customers. She discusses the challenges of entrepreneurship, the significance of community, and her strategies for leveraging platforms like Amazon and TikTok for growth. Elina emphasizes the value of understanding customer pain points and the importance of building relationships with customers to foster brand loyalty.

Takeaways

- Identifying a target audience is crucial for product success.

- Building an audience before launching a product can lead to better sales.

- Authenticity in communication fosters customer loyalty.

- Selling on Amazon offers higher conversion rates than personal websites.

In this episode of Build The Damn Thing, host Kathryn Finney speaks with expert authority coach Christine Blosdale about the importance of visibility and storytelling in entrepreneurship. Christine shares insights on overcoming imposter syndrome, the significance of authenticity, and how to connect personal stories to business success. She emphasizes the need for entrepreneurs to uncover their unique narratives, focus on serving their audience, and effectively brand themselves in a digital world. The conversation provides practical tips for building a compelling online presence and magnetizing one's brand.Key takeaways- Storytelling is essential for connecting with your audience.- Imposter syndrome affects everyone, even the most successful.- Shift focus from self-doubt to serving others.- Authenticity is crucial in today's market.- Your unique story can enhance your business success.- Professional branding includes a strong visual identity.Sound Bites"Imposter syndrome happens to everybody.""You have to stop beating yourself up.""What am I a specialist in?"Chapters00:00- Building a Life You Love01:03- The Power of Storytelling04:22- Uncovering Your Unique Story06:04- Overcoming Imposter Syndrome14:44- Shifting Focus to Serve Others19:05-Connecting Storytelling to Business29:47- Magnetizing Your Brand33:33- Creating Your Online Presence

How do you build a network that actually fuels your business and life?

In this special compilation episode of Build the Damn Thing, Kathryn Finney brings together some of the most powerful insights from past guests on the importance of relationships, risk-taking, and resilience in entrepreneurship.

You’ll learn:

- How founders turned corporate careers into thriving businesses

- Why inclusive communities create better opportunities for everyone

- Strategies for balancing leadership and family life

- What separates angel investors from venture capitalists

- How to embrace pivots, failure, and self-belief to fuel growth

- Why networking isn’t optional—it’s the foundation of entrepreneurship

Whether you’re just starting out or scaling your venture, this episode is packed with strategies to expand your network, embrace resilience, and leverage community for long-term success.

Learn more

Discover Kathryn: kathrynfinney.com

Join the community: buildthedamnthing.com

What does it really take to turn a kitchen side hustle into a thriving wholesale business?

In this episode of Build the Damn Thing, Kathryn Finney talks with entrepreneur and sales strategist Andee Hart, founder of Hart Design Co. and host of She Sells Differently. Andee shares how she went from a Fortune 500 sales executive to building a candle empire, the sales framework that works in any market, and her mission to help women entrepreneurs overcome sales anxiety.

You’ll learn:

• The lessons Andee took from corporate America into entrepreneurship

• Why having a simple, repeatable sales framework is a game changer

• How to create lead magnets that actually grow your business

• The importance of starting local and listening to feedback

• Sales confidence

• Pricing strategies for scaling into wholesale
  

If you’ve ever struggled with sales or wondered how to take your side hustle full time, this conversation is packed with strategies and inspiration.

Learn more:

• Connect with Andee
  

In this episode of Build the Damn Thing, host Kathryn Finney interviews financial advisor and money mindset expert Shari Rash, host of Everyone’s Talking Money, a show recognized by The New York Times. The conversation gives new and early stage entrepreneurs a clear money playbook for leaving a 9 to 5 and building a profitable business. Listeners learn how to pay themselves first using a Profit First style framework, budget variable income, and separate personal and business finances with simple systems that work in real life. The episode explains LLC basics, dedicated business bank accounts, and a lightweight Google Sheets dashboard. It also clarifies the roles of a bookkeeper, a CPA, and a financial planner, and teaches how to read a profit and loss statement and a balance sheet. Shari and Kathryn cover pricing a founder salary, creating a profit buffer for slow months, and the mindset shifts women entrepreneurs need to discuss money with confidence. This is a practical guide to small business finance, cash flow, and wealth building for first time founders.

What happens when you achieve everything you thought you wanted but feel completely empty inside? Bianca D'Alessio, author of "Mastering Intentions," HBO Max's Selling Tampa star, and top real estate broker, found herself at the pinnacle of success—and completely burned out, isolated from family, and questioning everything.

In this raw conversation, Bianca breaks down the difference between toxic goal-setting and intentional living, sharing how her approach to success nearly cost her the relationships that mattered most. From her father's incarceration for financial fraud to her siblings staging an intervention in Sicily, she reveals how family trauma became the catalyst for rebuilding her leadership philosophy and ultimately writing "Mastering Intentions."

You'll discover:

• Why "SMART goals" can become toxic traps that steal your joy
• The powerful shift from metrics-based success to intention-based growth from "Mastering Intentions"
• How appearing on HBO Max's Selling Tampa taught her to own her story—even the messy parts
• Why perfectionism kills creativity and innovation in your team
• The difference between managing people and creating "team-ship"
• How to recruit for loyalty and trust over skillset alone

Bianca doesn't sugarcoat the reality of entrepreneurship: "One day you're the CEO, the other day you're the janitor." But she's learned that vulnerability, not perfection, creates the strongest teams. Her approach to writing intentions on glass walls instead of traditional goal-setting offers a fresh framework for building sustainable success.

Whether you're burning out from hustle culture, struggling with family dynamics while building your business, or ready to lead with authenticity instead of perfectionism, this episode will shift how you define winning.

Bianca D'Alessio is the author of "Mastering Intentions," a top real estate broker, and star of HBO Max's Selling Tampa. Her journey from family scandal to intentional leadership offers a blueprint for sustainable success.

What happens when you turn a fashion blog into a business empire worth acquiring? Marie Denée, founder of The Curvy Fashionista, sits down with Kathryn Finney to break down the real economics of influence - from the wild west days of $12 CPMs and $50K satellite media tours to today's oversaturated market.This isn't your typical "follow your passion" conversation. Marie and Kathryn dig deep into the business fundamentals that separate profitable personal brands from hobby accounts that burn out. You'll learn:Why understanding marketing funnels can 10x your influencer income:- The critical difference between building "Marie Denée" vs "The Curvy Fashionista" (and why it matters for exits)- How a failed 10-month acquisition nearly bankrupted Marie - and the legal mistakes to avoid- The mindset shift from "creating content to create revenue" to "creating revenue to create content"Two pioneers who built their tables before anyone knew the rules existed share hard-won wisdom about turning personal brands into scalable businesses. Whether you're just starting out or looking to level up beyond being the product yourself, this episode reveals the strategies that actually work in 2024.Marie Denée is the creator of The Curvy Fashionista, a groundbreaking digital platform that redefined plus-size fashion coverage. Kathryn Finney is a serial entrepreneur, investor, and author of "Build the Damn Thing."

Owning your power isn’t a personality trait—it’s a strategy.

In this special Build the Damn Thing compilation, Kathryn Finney brings together bold voices who know what it takes to lead, negotiate, and build with intention. From navigating bias to setting unapologetic boundaries, this episode is a crash course in standing tall and taking up space as an entrepreneur.

You’ll hear from founders and leaders who refused to play small—even when the systems around them demanded it. They chose themselves. They bet on their voice. And they built something better.

Listen in for real talk on:

• Saying no without guilt

• Navigating likeability and respect

• The emotional cost of shrinking in the room

• Why underestimated entrepreneurs are rewriting the rules of power

This isn’t just about building a business. It’s about building yourself in the process.

🎧 Hit play—and don’t forget to subscribe, review, and share with a fellow builder.

#BuildTheDamnThing #Entrepreneurship #OwnYourPower #Negotiation #UnderestimatedFounders

What does it really take to build the business—and life—you want?

In this special compilation episode of Build the Damn Thing, host Kathryn Finney brings together powerful insights from founders and leaders who are redefining what it means to be an entrepreneur. From negotiating your worth to building through bias, this episode unpacks the real inner work required to lead with power and purpose.

You’ll hear from voices who’ve been told to shrink—and chose to expand instead.

Discover why owning your power isn’t just about saying yes to opportunity, but also about knowing when to say no. Learn what it looks like to create spaces where underestimated founders can thrive. And walk away with the mindset tools every entrepreneur needs to navigate the highs, the lows, and everything in between.

If you’re building the damn thing—this one’s for you.

🎧 Listen now and subscribe for more episodes that speak to the heart of what it means to be a builder.

#BuildTheDamnThing #Entrepreneurship #PowerMoves #Negotiation #UnderestimatedFounders