This week on Clover, I sit down with Emily Gupton—a technology leader, community builder, and soon-to-be President of Austin Women in Technology. Emily’s career path has been anything but linear: from studying neuroscience and working in radiology, to project management in commercial furniture, to building a SaaS platform from the ground up, and now serving as CTO at SKG.

In this conversation, Emily shares how curiosity, resilience, and community have shaped her many pivots. She opens up about navigating male-dominated spaces in tech, the power of asking questions (even the “silly” ones), and how investing in education—from her MBA to an MIT certificate—helped her bridge career transitions.

We also dive into Emily’s passion for building inclusive communities, her leadership journey with Austin Women in Technology, and her past work with the League of Women Voters of Texas. Whether you’re considering a career pivot, looking for inspiration to step into leadership, or craving stories of women making big impacts in Austin and beyond—this episode will leave you energized.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

• How to embrace career pivots with curiosity and courage
• Why community and mentorship are essential in tech (and beyond)
• Emily’s approach to leadership, equity, and empowering diverse voices
• Practical tips for choosing the right further education or certification
• How Austin Women in Technology fosters growth, connection, and opportunity

Connect with Emily:

• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/emily-gupton
• Website: emilykgupton.com
• Austin Women in Technology: https://www.awtaustin.org/ 

Communities & Organizations

• League of Women Voters of Texas: lwvtexas.org
• Innotech Women in Tech Summit — partnered event with AWT
• Capital Factory / Austin Tech Week — collaborative events with AWT
• Austin Forum on Technology & Society — partner org for technical topics like quantum computing

Books & Authors

• Smart Brevity — by the Axios team; recommended by her CEO and used as a communication framework
• Neil Gaiman — mentioned as a favorite author for personal, whimsical, and fantastical reading

In this episode of Clover, I sit down with Cherie Werner, the force behind Fiesta, the largest community for founders and investors in Austin, and FoundHERs, a dedicated space for women entrepreneurs. Cherie shares her journey from startup life to building Fiesta almost by accident, and how “leading with welcome” has become her guiding principle.

We talk about what it really takes to turn a crowded room into genuine connections, why consistency and inclusivity matter, and how women founders can push past the urge to be “perfect” before showing up. Cherie also offers simple conversation starters and follow-up practices you can use to walk into any networking event with more confidence.

If you’ve ever felt intimidated walking into a room full of strangers—or if you’re looking for a better way to grow community around your own work—this conversation will give you both inspiration and practical tools.

You’ll learn:

• How Fiesta grew into Austin’s largest founder–investor community
• Practical ways to break the ice beyond “What do you do?”
• Why consistency and inclusivity fuel stronger communities
• A mindset reset for women founders: show up before it’s “perfect”
• Follow-up strategies that turn quick chats into lasting relationships
• How to design events and spaces that make people feel truly welcome

RESOURCES MENTIONED

🌐 Websites & Communities

• FIESTA → https://www.fiesta.community
• Grow.FIESTA (global platform) → https://grow.fiesta.community

📨 Newsletters

• The HERald → Women-focused newsletter Cherie publishes (first Friday after FIESTA events).
• FIESTA Focus → Founder/community newsletter (week before and after each FIESTA).

📱 Social Media

• Cherie’s LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/cheriewerner
  (LinkedIn is her most active platform).

📚 Books Mentioned

• Let Them by Mel Robbins
• Believe It by Jamie Kern Lima
• Worthy - Jamie Kern Lima’s second book 

🎙️ Podcasts Mentioned

• All-In Podcast
• On Purpose with Jay Shetty

In this episode of Clover, I’m joined by Camille Ricketts, now a partner at XYZ Venture Capital and formerly a marketing leader at Tesla, First Round Capital, and Notion.

Camille’s career journey has been anything but linear—starting as a journalist at The Wall Street Journal, moving into communications at Tesla, where she worked directly with Elon Musk, then pioneering content marketing with First Round Review, and later scaling community-led growth at Notion. Today, she brings that breadth of experience to her work in venture capital, helping founders and startups thrive.

We cover:

• What it’s like to pivot when the path you’ve been working toward isn’t the right fit.
• Lessons from building Tesla’s early communications team and learning from Elon’s leadership style.
• How Camille created the First Round Review, one of the most influential startup content platforms.
• What it takes to scale community and user-led storytelling at Notion.
• Why understanding which “stage” of company you thrive in is essential to building your career.
• How Camille defines success today—by helping others rise and giving credit away.

Camille’s story is a reminder that careers aren’t ladders—they’re winding, evolving journeys built on curiosity, adaptability, and purpose.

Related links or mentions within the episode:

• Communities / Resources:
  • Play Bigger: How Pirates, Dreamers, and Innovators Create and Dominate Markets (book)
  • 'Give Away Your Legos' and Other Commandments for Scaling Startups (article)
  • Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead (book)
• Social Media / Links:
  • Twitter/X: @CamilleRicketts
  • LinkedIn: Camille Ricketts
    
    

In this very first episode of Clover, I chat with Amina Mohamed, founder of Cameras For Girls, an organization using photography and storytelling to help young women in Africa break into male-dominated media spaces.

Amina’s story begins with her family’s journey as refugees from Uganda to Canada, a career in film and television, and a life-changing return to Uganda that revealed the inequities facing girls denied education and opportunity. That experience inspired her to launch Cameras For Girls in 2017, which has since grown to serve cohorts of young women in Uganda and Tanzania, with a vision to expand across Africa.

We talk about:

• How Amina turned a late-night idea into a movement that’s changing lives.
• The importance of community-led solutions vs. imposing outside fixes.
• Navigating cultural and societal barriers with respect while pushing for change.
• Why mental health support and mentorship are just as critical as technical training.
• The ripple effect of one girl gaining skills and confidence—and teaching others.

Amina’s mission is bold: to impact 30,000 women across seven African countries by 2030. Her journey is proof that listening to your heart—and refusing to let fear win—can transform lives.

Related links or mentions within the episode:

• Communities / Resources:
  • Vital Voices (global women’s leadership community)
  • Nonprofit Hive (Canadian-run platform for nonprofit professionals)
  • We Are For Good (podcast + community, includes “Impact Uprising” events)
• Social Media / Links:
  • Website: Cameras For Girls
  • LinkedIn: Amina Mohamed
  • Instagram: @camerasforgirls

Want to support Cameras For Girls?

• Monthly or One-Time Donors
• Donate Used Cameras or Electronic Equipment

After 100 episodes of Small Business, Big Mindset, it’s time for something new. In this special episode, I share why I’m rebranding the podcast and what you can expect from the next chapter: Clover.

Clover is a show dedicated to spotlighting women redefining leadership—founders, executives, and change-makers who are shaping the future. The name comes from the phrase “to be in clover,” which means to live in prosperity, comfort, and joy. That’s the spirit behind this next season of conversations.

If you’ve been with me since the Small Business, Big Mindset days, you’ll still find plenty to love here—practical insights, inspiring stories, and mindset shifts that apply to building businesses, leading teams, and living with purpose. The focus is broader, the lens is sharper, and the conversations are even more powerful.

Whether you’ve been here since episode one or you’re just tuning in, this episode is both a thank you and an invitation to join me for what’s ahead. Hit follow, and get ready—Clover officially begins next week.

Welcome to Clover. I created this podcast to spotlight women who are redefining leadership. Each week, I connect with founders, executives, and change-makers to share real stories of bold leadership, lasting impact, and what it truly takes to thrive at the top.

Whether you’re just starting out in your career, aiming to take it to the next level, or already leading and looking for ways to give back, Clover will leave you with insights, inspiration, and strategies to fuel your own leadership journey.

The name Clover comes from the phrase “to be in clover,” meaning to live in prosperity, comfort, and joy—exactly the energy I want to bring to these conversations.

Follow along so you never miss an episode. Our first full conversation drops next week with Amina Mohamed, founder of Cameras for Girls.

This week on the show we have the one, the only, soon-to-be New York Times Bestselling author, Laura F*ing Belgray!

When I thought of who I would want to help ring in my 100th episode, my mentor, my friend, Laura Belgray catapulted to mind first.

She has a long list of accolades which you can learn more about on her Talking Shrimp website...as well as learn why her company is named after a chatty crustacean to begin with.

A bonafide celebrity and icon in the copywriting world, she's about to launch her first book, aptly named, "Tough Titties: On Living Your Best Life When You're the F-ing Worst".  The book comes out June 13th, but you can pre-order it here.  I read it cover-to-cover in under four days...a joyous respite between the job, the kids, and the MBA program that currently (happily) rule my life.  😍

In this episode, Laura tells us how she went from wandering through life to earning $1,000,000+ annually (I could have just typed 7-figures but damn, $1,000,000 is more fun) by chucking the standard rules of copywriting out the window and letting her personality shine through. We unwrap what exactly goes into the traditional publishing process, even when what you're publishing isn't traditional - why would a copywriting expert write a book about her life's trials and tribulations instead of how to write emails that sell your product but not your soul? Because. She's Laura F*ing Belgray.

Connect with Laura on her website (linked above), Instagram, and LinkedIn (although she spends most of her time on IG).

Episode #99!  Wow. When I first started this podcast I just wanted to connect entrepreneurs so we could inspire and learn from each other. What a journey it's been.  

As we catapult to episode #100, I thought I'd highlight the top 5 episodes so far (by downloads), introduce what's next with the podcast...and let you know who the special guest for episode #100 is (hint - she's a celeb in the copywriting world and about to launch her first book...sure to be a NY Times Best Seller).

Top 5 episodes so far:

• The 4 Critical Steps to Starting a Business
• 10 Free Resources for Copywriting
• Six Ways to Set Boundaries for Business Growth
• Here's My Exact Email Writing Process
• How to Create Super Clickable CTA

What's next for the podcast? CLOVER. I'm beyond excited for this series.

Who's my special guest for episode #100? I'll give you a hint. She met one of her business partners at Crunch Fitness in NY...back in the Crunch Fitness heyday.

I'll be honest - the mere thought of artificial anything, when it comes to creating the written word makes me cringe. It goes against every fiber of my being because for me, the point of writing is to put pen to paper or finger to keyboard to create something genuine. 

Even if it's fiction, it's supposed to come from a place of organic creativity. So when I heard artificial intelligence, I was like, oh here we go. But I'm not one to blindly shut something down. So I did take a deeper look. And AI is here to stay. We'd be silly to ignore it and hope it goes away. And actually, it's been pretty cool. 

So, as such, how do we as writers leverage it to our liking? Ultimately, when it comes to writing, is AI a friend or a foe? So turns out, it can be both.  I'm committed to using the technology for good. And I'm seeing AI as a friend.  I like to joke, maybe it's more like you keep your friends close, but your enemies closer. ;)

Listen in on how to leverage AI for good!

Maura Kelpy, founder of Veggies & Vodka and Maura K Creative, joins the show this week! Maura runs her own successful graphic design business (in addition to her wellness community under the Veggies & Vodka umbrella) and shares with us specific actions to take when crafting your own visual brand. You know, the look and feel of your business where customers can recognize you in an instant.

Here's an excerpt:

"So when I take on a branding project for a client, I often start with a  Google questionnaire. I ask a lot of questions about the person themselves if it's a personal brand or more about their company as a whole and their values. I do a deep dive into what they're trying to express through their logo first, and who their audiences are that we're trying to attract. Your visual brand really encompasses so much more than just a logo, right? It's also your colors, your typography, and even your imagery - how you use your photos, or how you take photos of yourself. You really want this whole consistent look between all of these elements, because it creates this reliable and solid experience for your customers as they start to know and understand what to expect from you. That way, when they see your brand everywhere they will start to recognize you, and that builds trust."

Connect with Maura on her website for Maura K Creative or her wellness community, Veggies & Vodka.