Build Your Empire

Viktoriia Kravchenko joins Melanie Brandt on Build Your Empire to share her journey as a first-time startup founder—from self-doubt to earning support from Google for Startups.In this episode:- Finding opportunities in a crowded market.- Using AI to support creativity.- Building trust through personal customer support.- Learning from failure and moving forward.YouTube descriptionWhat if someone else has already built your idea? Do it anyway.Viktoriia Kravchenko shares her startup journey, the fears behind taking the leap, and why listening to customers matters. Join Melanie Brandt for an honest conversation about creativity, resilience, and building something that makes a difference.Create more, edit less. Try Verba AI and bring your videos to life. Download the app via this link!https://apps.apple.com/us/app/verba-ai-edits-video-reels/id6467481048Or Search VERBA AI, Available on Apple Store.

What happens when the life you built changes—and you no longer recognise the woman you’ve become?

In this episode, Lourene Bevaart shares her journey from travelling the world as a celebrity personal trainer to navigating single motherhood, financial pressure, and a loss of confidence. She opens up about rebuilding her life and the lesson she now teaches her daughters: don’t lose who you are.

Lourene is a five-time World Karate Champion, known as Glacier on Australia’s Gladiators, and an entrepreneur and leadership mentor for women in fitness and wellness.

Read her story.

Together, we explore keeping your identity through motherhood, choosing people who support your growth, and recognising when taking a step back can help you move forward. It’s an honest conversation about reinvention, independence, and having the courage to begin again.

In this episode:

• The unexpected phone call that led to working with Russell Crowe.
• How your circle can influence your confidence and ambitions.
• Losing yourself in motherhood—and reclaiming your purpose.
• Why financial independence matters to Lourene.
• Learning to slow down without feeling like you’re falling behind.
• Taking action before everything feels perfect.

Learn more about Lourene

Ashley Smith is an AI Visibility Strategist, media host, and the founder of Show Your Proof.

Throughout two decades of entrepreneurship and industry leadership — including serving as Board Chair and media spokesperson representing over 14,000 real estate professionals — Ashley has tracked a massive, silent shift in how businesses actually get discovered today.

As search behaviour evolves, she helps established professionals and companies bridge the "Proof Gap" — the critical disconnect between their real-world expertise and their digital visibility.

Specializing in modern discoverability, reputation positioning, and AI search validation, Ashley provides no-nonsense, strategic frameworks that help leaders index their knowledge and secure algorithmic trust without letting content creation run their lives. She is also the founder and host of the media platform Canada Now.

Free Self-Assessment: 

https://showyourproof.beehiiv.com/products/proof-gap-self-assessment

https://youtube.com/@showyourproof

Milli Fox is a Self-Leadership Coach, speaker, and two-time published author dedicated to helping high-achieving women come home to themselves. Drawing on psychology, nervous system regulation, and identity transformation, she empowers women to move beyond self-abandonment and overthinking so they can lead themselves with confidence, deepen their relationships, and create lives that are both successful and deeply fulfilling.

In this raw and unapologetic conversation, Katrina Ruth joins the Build Your Empire podcast to unpack the realities of entrepreneurship, identity, trauma-driven ambition, parenting, discipline, faith, and building a business online for nearly two decades.Katrina shares how her online empire began accidentally through fitness blogging, how childhood insecurities fueled her drive, and why success without alignment eventually led her into a personal and spiritual reckoning. The episode dives into the tension between “flow” and discipline, the dangers of modern self-help culture, and what it actually takes to build something meaningful online today.The conversation also explores parenting high-performance children, overcompensating through success, surrendering control, and learning that purpose without grounding can become destructive.Follow her on Instagram:  / katrinaruth__  

In this episode of Build Your Empire, we’re sitting down with Coach Andrew Wingreen—the very first head coach of the men’s basketball team at New College of Florida!

From volunteer assistant to launching an entire college program from scratch, Coach Wingreen proves you don’t need to feel “ready” to start building something massive.We dive into his 16-year journey through college basketball, the setbacks that shaped him, and the mindset shift that took him from doubt to domination.

He shares how past failures became fuel, why surrounding yourself with the right people changes the game, and how success always leaves clues—you’ve just got to pay attention. We also talk about how young athletes dream without limits, and what we as adults can learn from that fearless vision. If you’ve ever questioned your next move, wrestled with imposter syndrome, or felt like your dream was too big—this one’s for you.Get ready to be fired up. This isn’t just about sport—it’s about empire-building energy, backing yourself, and going all in before the world even sees what you’re building!

Follow Coach Wingreen on Instagram

@coachwingreen

Check out Coach Wingreen's Websitewww.coachwingreen.comwww.teamwingreen.com

I'm all about empowering men to live with true integrity, accountability, confidence, power and authenticity.

My mission is to help you became a man you and your people are proud as fuck of!

I believe in real, practical strategies for personal growth.

Authenticity, Accountability, and Integrity are at the core of what I'm about.

I don't talk about it, I be about it.

Follow Linsey on Instagram at @outlaw_to_mentor!

Today, we are joined by Bree Stedman! Sharing her views and how she was able to succeed with her business

In this podcast episode, Mel the CEO and founder of Lifestyle IND. shares her insights and experiences while spearheading the growth of her now successful company!

In this episode, Kyree Oliver shares his insights and experiences on how he helps people navigate uncomfortable conversations with themselves and how he was able to generate $130 million revenue using Facebook ads at 28 years old!

Connect with Kyree:

https://www.facebook.com/kyreeoliver1994

https://www.instagram.com/kyree/?hl=en