Dear FoundHer...Real Founder Stories for Women Small Business Owners

“That first paycheck changed my life,” says Ellen Yin, founder of Cubicle to CEO. A course creator with over 10,000 students, Ellen quit her corporate marketing job five years ago, and from bootstrapping her first $300 client, she has amassed $1.5 million in revenue at just age 27, in large part by knowing when to pivot. Come on in and meet Ellen!

Today’s top takeaways:

• Sometimes you have to scale back in order to move forward
• Different seasons call for different priorities
• Show up and serve your community
• Be willing to experiment and learn from your mistakes like a scientist would
• Start by doing one thing and seeing where it leads

Quotes

• “I go all out and cut the safety cord each time because…it's easy to fall back into my comfort zone.” (20:11-20:21 | Ellen)

• “Sometimes you have to pull back and take away in order to move forward.” (21:24-21:28 | Lindsay)

• “You have to choose in different seasons what you're going to prioritize.” (23:52-23:56 | Ellen) SM Quote

• “We've spent years showing up for our community every single Monday, pouring our own time, our team's labor and money and everything…Now when we finally are able to monetize that platform, it almost feels like a collaboration between us and our community.” (31:41-32:15 | Ellen)

• “Excellence is something you have to earn.” (34:53-34:55 | Ellen)

• “My goal has always been to use the power of storytelling to expand people's perception of what is possible and instill in them the tools they need to pursue their full potential.” (36:37-36:57 | Ellen) 

Connect with Ellen Yin

Instagram | https://instagram.com/cubicletoceo

YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/c/CubicletoCEO

Website | https://cubicletoceo.co

Instagram | http://www.instagram.com/missellenyin

If you like what you're hearing on Dear FoundHer... we would love it if you left a rating or review! VISIT http://www.ratethispodcast.com/dearfoundher

You can now work with Lindsay 1:1 to build and monetize your community through the same method she used to grow and scale her business. Fill out the form here and set up a FREE 30-minute consultation.

Make sure you sign up for Lindsay's newsletter and have all of the takeaways from every podcast episode sent straight to your inbox. PLUS, you'll get a tip every week to help you grow and scale your own business.

Don't forget to follow Lindsay on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lindsaypinchuk

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Today's bonus episode is a conversation between host, Lindsay Pinchuk and her former student and now friend, Donna Korren, Founder of Empty Quester. Today Donna shares the role Instagram played in turning her community into an actual revenue driving business.

Please note, this was recorded on Instagram Live and the sound is not the best—but the content of the conversation was too good not to share here. 

TO CONNECT WITH DONNA KORREN, follow her @emptyquester.

If you like what you're hearing we would LOVE for you to leave a rating or review so that others can find us! Simply click here, it takes ten seconds.: http://www.ratethispodcast.com/dearfoundher

Interested in Lindsay's GROW YOUR INSTAGRAM FOR YOUR SMALL BUSINESS BOOTCAMP? REGISTRATION IS LIVE

Make sure you sign up for Lindsay's newsletter and have all of the takeaways from every podcast episode sent straight to your inbox. PLUS, you'll get a tip every week to help you grow and scale your own business.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One of the things entrepreneurs, specifically solopreneurs and small business owners ask me is, ⁠

⁠

"How do I find time for social media?"⁠

⁠

This is a great question and it's a great time of year to take a closer look at Instagram for your business AND your overall process. Forget what you've heard about posting cadence and checking all of the boxes, if there's ONE THING I would tell you to do, it's this:⁠

⁠

JUST SHOW UP.⁠

But, once you take the first step, there are FIVE MORE that follow to help put you on the path to success. Lindsay and so many of her clients and students have started with these five simple strategies---seeing incredible results along the way.

If you like what you're hearing we would LOVE for you to leave a rating or review so that others can find us! Simply click here, it takes ten seconds.: http://www.ratethispodcast.com/dearfoundher

Interested in Lindsay's GROW YOUR INSTAGRAM FOR YOUR SMALL BUSINESS BOOTCAMP? REGISTRATION IS LIVE

Follow Lindsay @lindsaypinchuk and @dearfoundher on Instagram.

Make sure you sign up for Lindsay's newsletter and have all of the takeaways from every podcast episode sent straight to your inbox. PLUS, you'll get a tip every week to help you grow and scale your own business.

Use code FoundHer for 50% off your first month with both HiveCast and Fireside

Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“I’m really passionate about creating beautiful spaces,” says Ariel Kaye, founder of home and lifestyle brand Parachute, which she founded in 2014 after realizing that she and her peers were having trouble finding cozy, quality sheets to furnish their post-college apartments. Since then, Parachute has become an industry disruptor in the home and textile space, evolving into a lifestyle brand which provides essentials for all rooms in the home. In nine years, Parachute has earned $150 million, added 20 brick-and-mortar locations across the U.S. to its direct-to-consumer model, and expanded into the Canadian market with the Hudson’s Bay Company. The brand is dedicated to sustainability and climate neutral certification as well as to cultivating wellness and kindness. Come on in and meet Ariel, the founder who is spearheading a comfort movement across North America.

Top takeaways from today’s episode:

• You know you have a good idea when you can’t think of anything else
• Asking for help isn’t a weakness–people are happy to give you their time
• PR is important
• Look for consumer feedback when making decisions–especially about product extensions
• Being a founder can be chaotic and lonely. Keep a community around you to stay focused

Quotes

• “I was 100% positive that this was a great idea. I felt it in my bones. I could not shake it.” (10:54-11:00 | Ariel)

• “The response that we got from the customer was the indicator for me that we were onto something…It was just this, “ I see you,’ moment.” (24:51-25:09 | Ariel)

• “As someone who has a background in building relationships with the customer, the whole idea around Parachute was, ‘How do you build a relationship with the customer so that they keep coming back?’... I knew that retail had to be a big part of it.” (28:12-28:46 | Ariel)

Connect with Ariel Kaye:

Instagram Ariel | https://www.instagram.com/arielkaye/

Instagram Parachute | http://www.instagram.com/parachute

Please don't forget to rate, comment, and subscribe to Dear FoundHer on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts!

You can now work with Lindsay 1:1 to build and monetize your community through the same method she used to grow and scale her business. Fill out the form here and set up a FREE 30-minute consultation.

Make sure you sign up for Lindsay's newsletter and have all of the takeaways from every podcast episode sent straight to your inbox. PLUS, you'll get a tip every week to help you grow and scale your own business.

Don't forget to follow Lindsay on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lindsaypinchuk

Use code FoundHer for 50% off your first month with both HiveCast and Fireside

Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“In order for you to make it perfect, you have to test it. And in order to test it, you’ve got to get it out there in the market,” explains Tracey Warner Halama, CEO of Vital Proteins, an ingestible collagen brand that is proud to have Jennifer Aniston as their Chief Creative Officer. Tracey is a big proponent of getting out of your lane and being able to pivot directions when things are not working. So often in the tech world, people, especially women, are told to keep their heads down and not shake things up. Not Tracey! She encourages lifelong learning and curiosity and instills this belief into her team. She strives for progress over perfection, testing products out on the market and viewing failures as learning opportunities. Come on in and meet Tracey!

Top takeaways from today’s episode:

• It’s okay to go against the grain.
• Your team are the stewards of your business.
• Use your voice and take up space in the room.
• Progress over perfection. You want to create a culture that normalizes, even celebrates, failures.
• Trust your intuition.

Quotes

• “Modern companies want people to show up as their most authentic self. And if your company doesn't want you to show up authentically, then it may not be the right fit for you.” (33:14-33:27 | Tracey)

• “When you really settle into who you are, the confidence just blossoms.” (33:41-33:46 | Tracey)

• “As an entrepreneur, you have to be willing to fail. You have to be willing to bring humility to the table, look yourself in the mirror and say, is this working or is it not?” (37:30-37:41 | Tracey) 

• “In order for you to make it perfect, you have to test it. And in order to test it, you’ve got to get it out there in the market.” (41:04-41:09 | Tracey)

Connect with Tracey Warner Halama:

Instagram Vital Proteins | https://www.instagram.com/vitalproteins/

Instagram Tracey | https://www.instagram.com/traceyhalama

If you like what you're hearing we would LOVE for you to leave a rating or review so that others can find us! Simply click here, it takes ten seconds.: http://www.ratethispodcast.com/dearfoundher

JOIN LINDSAY'S SOCIAL MEDIA CHALLENGE + GRAB HER REELS CHEAT SHEET: https://bit.ly/reelscheatsheet

Interested in Lindsay's INSTAGRAM FOR SMALL BUSINESS BOOTCAMP? EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION IS OPEN

Make sure you sign up for Lindsay's newsletter and have all of the takeaways from every podcast episode sent straight to your inbox. PLUS, you'll get a tip every week to help you grow and scale your own business.

Use code FoundHer for 50% off your first month with both HiveCast and Fireside

Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“I wanted to elevate and modernize the classic puzzle,” says Kaylin Marcotte, who is indeed disrupting the category with her company Jiggy, which she founded in November of 2019. Even before the pandemic, she wanted to bring her number one stress reliever to people in a new way. Each puzzle features original frameable works by emerging female artists with whom the company shares its profits. A media darling, she recently appeared on ABC’s Shark Tank and has an incredible story to share. Come on in and meet Kaylin!

Top takeaways from today’s episode:

• Figure out ways to find partners–partnerships drive so much brand awareness
• Figure out ways to disrupt your category
• As soon as you have an idea and a drive, start to build your audience
• Think about what the community version of your brand looks like to you
• When it comes to your time, find the work life balance split that works for you

Quotes

• “Just do yourself a favor and start getting ahead. (45:22-45:28 | Kaylin) 

• “Think about what your community looks like to you. Is it your customers? What are the communities that you can bring into your brand and have them alongside you incentivized to help you grow and spread your reach?” (45:31-46:10 | Kaylin)

• “In work/life balance, find the split that works for you.” (46:26-46:31 | Kaylin) 

Connect with Kaylin Marcotte:

Instagram Jiggy | http://www.instagram.com/jiggypuzzles

Website | http://www.jiggypuzzles.com

Instagram Kaylin | https://www.instagram.com/kaylinmarcotte/

If you like what you're hearing we would LOVE for you to leave a rating or review so that others can find us! Simply click here, it takes ten seconds.: http://www.ratethispodcast.com/dearfoundher

JOIN LINDSAY'S SOCIAL MEDIA CHALLENGE + GRAB HER REELS CHEAT SHEET: https://bit.ly/reelscheatsheet

Interested in Lindsay's INSTAGRAM FOR SMALL BUSINESS BOOTCAMP? EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION IS OPEN

Make sure you sign up for Lindsay's newsletter and have all of the takeaways from every podcast episode sent straight to your inbox. PLUS, you'll get a tip every week to help you grow and scale your own business.

Don't forget to follow Lindsay on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lindsaypinchuk

Use code FoundHer for 50% off your first month with both HiveCast and Fireside

Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today’s topic is one that is incredibly important—especially with the rise of people’s Instagram accounts being hacked. Something you may not know, host, Lindsay Pinchuk had her own account hacked last year.  So on today's edition of FoundHer Files we're going to cover:

1. Typical hacking scams to watch out for.
2. How to get your account back if you do get hacked (Lindsay will walk you through the steps that she herself used.)
3. Steps you can proactively take to protect your Instagram account from hackers.
4. Why Lindsay chose to use Meta Verified.

You can also find more on how to protect your Instagram account here.

PLUS, here is the step-by-step process and a video outlining the process Lindsay used to retrieve her own account.

For more content like this, make sure you're following @lindsaypinchuk and @dearfoundher on Instagram.

JOIN LINDSAY'S SOCIAL MEDIA CHALLENGE + GRAB HER REELS CHEAT SHEET: https://bit.ly/reelscheatsheet

Interested in Lindsay's INSTAGRAM FOR SMALL BUSINESS BOOTCAMP? EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION IS OPEN

If you like what you're hearing we would LOVE for you to leave a 5-star rating or review so that others can find us! Simply click here, it takes ten seconds.: http://www.ratethispodcast.com/dearfoundher

Dear FoundHer... is brought to you by Hivecast.

Use code FoundHer for 50% off your first month with both HiveCast and Fireside

Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“I got really obsessed with how important it is, particularly for women, to be able to earn an income and own their own business,” says Elizabeth Gore, co-founder and president of Hello, Alice, a platform that provides over 1 million SMB with the funding, networks, and resources needed to achieve equitable capital. She currently serves as the Emeritus Chair of the United Nations Global Entrepreneurs Council and served the UN for nearly a decade as Vice President of Global Partnerships founding strategic grassroots efforts like Nothing But Nets Girls Up and Shot at Life. People magazine named her one of its “Top 100 Extraordinary Women,” Fast Company called her one of the “Most Creative People in Business,” and she was named one of Entrepreneur Magazine’s “Women to Watch.” Come on in and meet Elizabeth!

Top takeaways from today’s episode:

• Apply for grants. There are many out there and they’re an underutilized resource.
• Know your numbers–all of them–from the day you start.

Quotes

• “The power of referrals is nuts. I mean, if you really foster a trusted community, they are going to be your number one advertiser.” (28:47-28:56 | Elizabeth) 

• “Surround yourself with the most talented people you can. Even if you're pre hiring, that means advisors, it means talking to your customers. And then when you do start hiring folks, never relinquish that to someone else ” (39:14-39:30 | Elizabeth) 

• “Self care. I feel very strongly that entrepreneurs tend to be very fast-driving, accomplished people and we tend to leave ourselves out. But you cannot run a business over the long-term if you're exhausted all the time.” (39:34-40:00 | Elizabeth)

Connect with Elizabeth Gore:

Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/elizabethgore_/

Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/helloalice_com/

LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/company/helloalice

TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@helloalice.com

JOIN LINDSAY'S SOCIAL MEDIA CHALLENGE + GRAB HER REELS CHEAT SHEET: https://bit.ly/reelscheatsheet

Interested in Lindsay's INSTAGRAM FOR SMALL BUSINESS BOOTCAMP? EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION IS OPEN

If you like what you're hearing we would LOVE for you to leave a 5-star rating or review so that others can find us! Simply click here, it takes ten seconds.: http://www.ratethispodcast.com/dearfoundher

Don't forget to follow Lindsay on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lindsaypinchuk

Use code FoundHer for 50% off your first month with both HiveCast and Fireside

Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

 If you’re a small business owner you likely are managing your Instagram account (in addition to the 100 other tasks that you have to accomplish daily, right? Instagram feels daunting, gives you a headache and is just overwhelming. You have what host, Lindsay Pinchuk calls "Instagram Paralysis"—you don’t know where to start, what to post—so you simply do nothing. 

Last week Lindsay talked about where to start in generating a process for creating Instagram content, but today she's talking about how to leverage one piece of content into nine (minimum) on Instagram so you’re not spinning your wheels constantly trying to come up with something to share.  This way you can focus your attention on where it needs to be---growing your business and bottom line.

Ultimately, today's topic goes back to what Lindsay discussed last week—building a process…and that includes a process for repurposing. It’s all about your mindset and thinking about how you can extend the life of your content and create more from what you are putting out. 

Lindsay will walk you through two concrete examples of how she repurposed different content. Get out your pen and notepad---you're going to want to take notes on this one!

Connect with Lindsay Pinchuk: http://www.instagram.com/lindsaypinchuk

Connect with Dear FoundHer...: http://www.instagram.com/dearfoundher

JOIN LINDSAY'S SOCIAL MEDIA CHALLENGE + GRAB HER REELS CHEAT SHEET: https://bit.ly/reelscheatsheet

Interested in Lindsay's INSTAGRAM FOR SMALL BUSINESS BOOTCAMP? EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION IS OPEN

Please don't forget to rate, comment, and subscribe to Dear FoundHer... here: http://www.ratethispodcast.com/dearfoundher

Dear FoundHer... is brought to you by Hivecast.

Use code FoundHer for 50% off your first month with both HiveCast and Fireside

Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"Take care of yourself so that you show up in your best life," said today's guest, Whitney Eckis, Founder of Eckis Marketing. This sound advice is what makes Whitney successful as a serial entrepreneur, and one with her hand in FIVE businesses! From her primary business, Eckis Marketing to GetSupr! an hemp-infused instant coffee that Yahoo! Finance named a top startup to watch in 2021, Whitney keeps a packed calendar. However, she also makes sure to put her own mental health first, which she credits to being able to do her job each and every day.

Join us for this incredible conversation on how at just 22 years-old, Whitney generated a proof of concept that launched her agency and her career.

A few of today's top takeaways:

1. Mental health comes first, you have to take care of yourself and your team. 
2. Set boundaries on your calendar and stick to them. 
3. Delegate tasks that you are not good at so that you are able to focus on the things you are best at.
4. Ask clients, "what do you need" vs. just sharing what you offer.
5. Invest into your company to build case studies, gather a proof of concept so that you can use those situations to build and grow your business. 

Connect with Whitney Eckis: http://www.instagram.com/whitneyeckis

Check out GetSupr

Connect with Lindsay Pinchuk: http://www.instagram.com/lindsaypinchuk

Connect with Dear FoundHer...: http://www.instagram.com/dearfoundher

Listen to Lindsay on Whitney's Under the Influence Podcast

Need help making a Instagram Reel? Grab Lindsay's CHEAT SHEET: https://bit.ly/reelscheatsheet

Interested in Lindsay's INSTAGRAM FOR SMALL BUSINESS BOOTCAMP? CLICK HERE EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION IS OPEN!

Please don't forget to rate, comment, and subscribe to Dear FoundHer... here: http://www.ratethispodcast.com/dearfoundher

Dear FoundHer... is brought to you by Hivecast.

Use code FoundHer for 50% off your first month with both HiveCast and Fireside

Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.