I sat down with Sophie Auyeung, founder of Myrrar, to talk about what happens when a room decides not to take you seriously and you build the company anyway.

Sophie is a female founder building a beauty tech app that recommends makeup products and techniques for your unique face. She is doing it in startup rooms that still skew male, as a woman of color, pitching a beauty product to people who don't always see the point. I asked her what she does with that. Her answer is not the polished version, and it's the part of this episode I'd hate for you to miss.

If you're building something of your own, or quietly thinking about it, this conversation is for you. We get into how to build a beauty tech startup, how to hire a tech co-founder, how to host your first event with no budget, how to build a community on WhatsApp, what American startups do differently from Australian ones, and how she won her first pitch competition.

She also explains why she would rather sell a mission than an app, and why she thinks every founder should settle the business model first.

Before your next big room, hear how she carries being underestimated. I think it will change how you think about it.

This is my first in person episode, and the first under House of Interesting Women.

IN THIS EPISODE:

0:00 - The day she left the house in full makeup and only saw the damage in the photos

3:58 - Inside Myrrar: the face scan that reads your undertone and face shape

6:00 - The warning that her vibe coded app would collapse, and the one event that led her to a tech co-founder

7:14 - How she filled her first event with no budget and no experience, including DMing her old high school classmates

13:06 - Why she built a WhatsApp community instead of chasing Instagram comments

15:40 - What American startups do differently, and the smart way to get other people to spread your word

19:00 - The pitch that looked effortless and took dozens of rehearsals in a mirror

22:11 - The real answer to being underestimated in rooms that skew male

_________________________________

Now I'd love to hear from you. What question did this conversation leave you with? Leave it in the comments on Spotify and I'll save it for the conversations ahead. Listening on Apple Podcasts? Send it to me on Instagram instead.

Sophie also invites you into the Myrrar Inner Circle, her WhatsApp community of early believers. Comment below and she'll add you.

_________________________________

Follow Sophie and Myrrar:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_myrrar/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@_myrrar

Myrrar: https://www.myrrar.com/

Follow the show:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/houseofinterestingwomen/

Website: https://www.livegooddigital.com

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@houseofinterestingwomen

Follow me, Emily Jean:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emily.jeans/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-jeans/

Subscribe to the newsletter: https://houseofinterestingwomen.substack.com/subscribe

_________________________________

I'm Emily, and House of Interesting Women is a home for women with taste, ambition, and something to say. A new conversation lands every Wednesday.

One son applied to 12 schools, got into 11, and walked out with a full ride to Harvard without his family paying a single dollar.

In this episode of Founders in Jeans, Shellee Howard, founder and CEO of College Ready, breaks down how a business born 18 years ago when her son asked for help getting into college turned into a company that's helped thousands of students get into top schools debt-free. Shellee shares the moment she realized the system was failing students (a graduation-day comment that stuck with her for years), why she built College Ready around the student first and the university second, and the deeply intentional strategy she used to help all four of her kids graduate without debt, including one now-orthopedic surgeon who went to Harvard for free.

She also gets real about the messy middle of building her seventh business, the bet with her son that turned into two bestselling books she never wanted to write, and why AI is quietly getting students rejected from the colleges they're applying to. Plus, her take on what she'd change about the entire college admissions and financial aid system if she could start from scratch.

If you're a parent navigating college admissions, an entrepreneur turning expertise into a business, or just curious how one family cracked the code on elite education without the debt — this episode delivers.

TIME STAMPS:

• 00:07 – Welcome to Founders in Jeans + how to support the show
• 01:35 – Meet Shellee Howard, the woman who's gotten thousands of students into college debt-free
• 03:29 – The 8th-grade conversation that started an 18-year mission
• 05:29 – "Dude, I didn't know that kid was smart" — the comment that changed everything
• 07:44 – Is the Ivy League obsession actually hurting students? Her honest take
• 09:58 – What nobody tells you about building a business in education

• 13:52 – The exact playbook that got her son a free ride to Harvard
• 17:50 – Got expertise but no business? Her blunt advice: stop waiting
• 19:34 – Her "messy middle" — the bet with her son that led to 2 bestsellers she swore she'd never write
• 22:53 – Founder, author, consultant, mom of 4 — how she actually does it all
• 24:42 – Why AI is quietly getting students REJECTED from college right now
• 27:38 – If she could rewrite the entire college admissions system, here's what she'd change
• 30:26 – The book that changed how she thinks about scaling (or failing)
• 31:58 – Where to find Shellee Howard and get help with your own student's journey

__________ 

Connect with Shelle Howard:

Website: https://collegereadyplan.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shelleehoward

Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/shellee.howard1/

Amazon best sellers: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B071H5CQ9X

__________ 

Follow Emily Jean:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emily.jeans/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-jeans/

Follow Founders in Jeans:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/foundersinjeans

Website: https://www.livegooddigital.com

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FoundersinJeans

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3kiqSke5mnlFIlC9t4xLU0

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/founders-in-jeans/id1802430594

Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://foundersinjeans.substack.com/subscribe

__________ 

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Loved this episode? Rate and review Founders in Jeans. It helps more women find us.

__________ 

debt-free college admissions, how to get into Harvard, college planning strategy, financial aid tips, AI in college admissions, independent college consultant, scholarship strategy for students, college admissions coaching, student-centered college planning, female founder podcast

In this episode of Founders in Jeans, I sit with Noemi Ceapa, founder of The Consulting Studio and a branding expert who spent years working behind the scenes with brands like Coca-Cola and Colgate before helping women entrepreneurs build brands of their own. Noemi shares the moment that changed how she saw branding forever, watching a three-generation family business transform not by changing their product, but by finally showing up as who they truly were, and breaks down why most small businesses obsess over logos and colors while missing the message that actually makes people buy.

She walks through her theory of "identity-level messaging" (with a genuinely brilliant diaper commercial breakdown), why de-corporatizing your language is one of the hardest parts of leaving a 9-to-5 to build your own business, and why AI is about to make the gap between clear and confused founders even bigger. She also shares her honest take on customer loyalty, the "overnight success" myth she wants gone for good, and one branding campaign she can't stand, but respects completely.

If you've ever felt like your product is great but your marketing just isn't landing, this episode will change how you think about your brand forever.

TIME STAMPS

• 00:06 – Welcome to Founders in Jeans + how to support the show
• 01:39 – Meet Noemi Ceapa, founder of The Consulting Studio
• 03:00 – What first drew her to branding and the moment that changed everything
• 06:32 – How The Consulting Studio was born out of a layoff
• 08:10 – What The Consulting Studio actually does (personal vs. business branding)
• 09:34 – The #1 thing most people get wrong about branding
• 11:19 – Why she focuses specifically on women in the early stages of business
• 12:42 – What separates businesses that survive past year five from those that don't
• 14:02 – The most surprising part of building her own business ("de-corporatizing" herself)
• 16:01 – The identity pyramid: what actually makes people buy (with the diaper ad example)
• 20:26 – What really builds customer loyalty in a world full of choices
• 23:43 – The branding trends she thinks will matter most in the next few years (and where AI fits in)
• 26:11 – Rapid fire: a branding move she secretly hates but respects (Liquid Death)
• 26:43 – The online business trend she wants to see gone for good
• 27:21 – Her go-to piece of advice for someone just starting out
• 27:35 – Her dream client or project
• 27:45 – Her podcast/resource recommendation for budding entrepreneurs
• 28:27 – Where to find and follow Noemi Ceapa
  

__________

Connect with Noemi Ceapa:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/noemiceapa/

Website: https://theconsultingstudio.vip/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheConsultingStudio

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/noemi.consulting.studio

__________

Follow Emily Jean:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emily.jeans/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-jeans/

Follow Founders in Jeans:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/foundersinjeans

Website: https://www.livegooddigital.com

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FoundersinJeans

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3kiqSke5mnlFIlC9t4xLU0

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/founders-in-jeans/id1802430594

Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://foundersinjeans.substack.com/subscribe

__________

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Loved this episode? Rate and review Founders in Jeans. It helps more women find us.

__________

personal branding for entrepreneurs, business branding strategy, brand messaging tips, how to build a brand identity, branding for women entrepreneurs, why people buy from you, small business branding mistakes, customer loyalty strategy, AI and branding, female founder podcast

A hula hoop, a slice of cheesecake, and 100% meeting acceptance rate, that's how one guest landed nearly every meeting she ever wanted, before ever pitching a thing.

In this episode of Founders in Jeans, I sit down with April Palmer, founder of Rev Amp, an Agile professor at VCU, and self-proclaimed "Hot Mess Boss," who juggles sales consulting, teaching, mentoring startups, and life with two kids, six cats, and a blind dog. April opens up about the wild, winding road that led her from a 911 dispatcher to nursing school to Fortune 100 sales floors to founding her own consultancy, including the hilariously creative (and highly effective) prospecting tactics she used to get in front of clients no one else could reach.

She also gets brutally honest about her first startup's failure in year four, the hiring nightmare that shattered her confidence for months, and why "you don't know what you don't know" might be the most important lesson every first-time founder needs to hear. Plus: why she believes the best growth hack isn't a funnel or a framework, it's simply having the audacity to ask for advice.

If you're a founder juggling too many hats, worried about hiring mistakes, or too afraid to ask for help, this episode is your permission slip.

TIME STAMPS

• 00:06 – Welcome to Founders in Jeans + how to support the show
• 01:36 – Meet April Palmer: sales consultant, VCU professor, and self-proclaimed Hot Mess Boss
• 03:20 – Her winding early career: from 911 dispatcher to nursing school to Fortune 100 sales
• 06:13 – How she discovered her superpower: closing impossible deals and customer discovery
• 07:34 – The wildly creative prospecting tactics that got her a 100% meeting acceptance rate
• 08:39 – Why generic advice like "rise and grind" doesn't actually help founders
• 10:40 – How she balances sales, teaching, consulting, motherhood, and six cats
• 11:34 – Hiring for her weaknesses (including hiring a household manager)
• 13:42 – The biggest problem entrepreneurs face when trying to manage it all
• 14:17 – The costly budgeting mistake she made building her first startup
• 16:38 – Why "you don't know what you don't know" is every first-time founder's reality
• 17:04 – Why she ditched rigid deadlines and milestones for good
• 18:38 – What actually sets a business apart to survive past year five
• 19:34 – Why her first startup, PivotPass, failed in year four
• 22:36 – Why hiring and firing is the #1 factor you can control for success
• 24:00 – The wild story of a hire who faked her entire CRM pipeline
• 27:21 – What an incredible hire actually looks like
• 28:53 – Why she's betting on hungry, ambitious college students
• 31:09 – Her book recommendations: They Ask, You Answer and Rocket Fuel
• 33:45 – Her best advice: be audacious and just ask for advice
• 35:56 – Where to find and follow April Palmer

__________ 

Connect with April Palmer

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hotmessboss/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hotmessboss/

Website: https://www.duckbillhq.com/

__________ 

Follow Emily Jean:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emily.jeans/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-jeans/

Follow Founders in Jeans:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/foundersinjeans

Website: https://www.livegooddigital.com

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FoundersinJeans

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3kiqSke5mnlFIlC9t4xLU0

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/founders-in-jeans/id1802430594

Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://foundersinjeans.substack.com/subscribe

__________ 

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Loved this episode? Rate and review Founders in Jeans. It helps more women find us.

__________ 

first time founder advice, startup hiring mistakes, how to close sales deals, founder burnout, small business coaching, sales consultant tips, entrepreneur mentorship, startup failure lessons, women in business podcast, how to ask for advice as a founder

A group of 50 local creators in Des Moines, Iowa turned into a platform with 40,000 creators across 40 cities, and it all started because one marketer couldn't find an agency doing community-centric marketing the right way.

In this episode of Founders in Jeans, host Emily Jean talks with Emily Steel, co-founder and CEO of Hummingbirds, a creator matching platform connecting everyday and nano creators with brands looking for localized, authentic content. Emily shares how her own identity as a "local influencer" (she'll be the first to put that in air quotes) shaped the entire foundation of the business, why she built Hummingbirds around people who have influence rather than people chasing fame, and what it actually means to build community at scale without losing the personal touch.

She also breaks down what brands consistently get wrong about creator marketing, how early-stage brands can work with local creators without blowing their budget, and where she sees the creator economy heading over the next few years, including AI creators, the rise of newsletters like Substack, and why trust is still the real currency of influence.

If you're a founder, marketer, or brand owner trying to figure out where creator marketing is actually headed, this conversation is a masterclass.

• Why "everyday creators" and nano influencers are an underestimated marketing goldmine
• How to build genuine community at scale without it feeling transactional
• What brands consistently misunderstand about what creators can (and can't) deliver
• How early-stage brands can work with local creators without overspending
• Where the creator economy is heading in the next 2–3 years (AI creators, Substack, and beyond)
• Why trust — not follower count — is the real currency of influencer marketing
• The kind of brand campaigns that are actually working right now

TIME STAMPS

• 00:08 – Welcome to Founders in Jeans + how to support the show
• 01:37 – Meet Emily Steel, co-founder and CEO of Hummingbirds
• 02:35 – What she was doing before Hummingbirds and how the idea started
• 06:06 – Why local and everyday creators are so underestimated
• 08:28 – How she defines "community" (and why it's more than a buzzword)
• 10:58 – Can a community get too big to stay a real community?
• 13:22 – Is community-first marketing worth the investment for brands?
• 15:33 – What brands consistently misunderstand about creator marketing
• 17:44 – Advice for early-stage brands who want to work with local creators without overspending
• 19:49 – Where creator marketing is headed in the next 2–3 years
• 22:07 – Rapid fire: the founder and community builder who inspires her
• 23:19 – A brand campaign strategy that's performing really well right now
• 24:42 – A creator trend she loves — and one she's over
• 26:16 – Her go-to resource for budding entrepreneurs
• 27:09 – Where to find and follow Emily Steel and Hummingbirds

__________ 

Connect with Emily Steele:

Website: https://www.hummingbirds.com/

Emily Steele LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilysteele12/

HummingBirds LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/meet-the-hummingbirds/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hummingbirdshq/

__________ 

Follow Emily Jean:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emily.jeans/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-jeans/

Follow Founders in Jeans:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/foundersinjeans

Website: https://www.livegooddigital.com

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FoundersinJeans

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3kiqSke5mnlFIlC9t4xLU0

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/founders-in-jeans/id1802430594

Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://foundersinjeans.substack.com/subscribe

__________ 

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Loved this episode? Rate and review Founders in Jeans. It helps more women find us.

__________ 

creator marketing platform, nano influencer marketing, local influencer strategy, community-centric marketing, creator economy trends, how to work with local creators, influencer marketing for small brands,

From a failed salon at 19, to a decade as a fractional CFO in corporate America, to coaching over 80 CEOs on her own podcast — Charity Brown's biggest lesson through it all? Trying to serve everyone is the fastest way to serve no one.

In this episode of Founders in Jeans, host Emily Jean sits down with Charity Brown, founder of Create Clarity with Charity, the Four P's Method, and The Happy CEO, to talk about her 15+ years in coaching and consulting, her decade in corporate America that led to a full-blown burnout, and the frameworks she's built to help entrepreneurs scale with clarity instead of chaos.

Charity gets real about the flood of "fake guru" coaches online, how to actually vet a good one, why niching down felt like giving up money (until it wasn't), and the hard lesson of firing clients who weren't the right fit — even when it hurt her bank account. She also shares her journey building a five-year-old podcast and her advice for women who want to start one but haven't found the courage yet.

If you're an entrepreneur, aspiring coach, or founder wondering whether to niche down or stay broad, this episode will change your mind.

TIMESTAMPS:

• 00:07 – Welcome to Founders in Jeans + how to support the show
• 01:37 – Meet Charity Brown: coach, CFO, author, and podcast host
• 02:29 – From a failed salon at 19 to fractional CFO and corporate burnout
• 05:08 – Her honest take on the "coaching guru" trend and how to spot the fakes
• 07:55 – Breaking down her frameworks: the Nine Steps to Inner Freedom and the Four P's Method
• 10:42 – Advice for people who want to become a coach or consultant
• 12:53 – What to actually look for in an effective business coach
• 13:39 – Building a personal brand and her approach to niching down
• 15:18 – Why the fear of "appealing to everyone" holds so many entrepreneurs back
• 16:12 – The early mistake she made chasing every client instead of the right ones
• 18:44 – Why she started her podcast, Create Clarity with Charity
• 19:31 – The reality of being a female podcast host (and advice for women ready to start one)
• 21:29 – Her favorite book, podcast, and resource for budding entrepreneurs
• 22:26 – Where to find and follow Charity Brown

__________ 

Connect with Charity Brown:

Website: https://charitybrown.biz/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charitybrown2021/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/charitybrownbiz/ 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CharityBrownNOW 

__________ 

Follow Emily Jean:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emily.jeans/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-jeans/

Follow Founders in Jeans:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/foundersinjeans

Website: https://www.livegooddigital.com

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FoundersinJeans

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3kiqSke5mnlFIlC9t4xLU0

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/founders-in-jeans/id1802430594

Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://foundersinjeans.substack.com/subscribe

__________ 

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Loved this episode? Rate and review Founders in Jeans. It helps more women find us.

__________ 

business coach for entrepreneurs, how to niche down your brand, fractional CFO consulting, corporate burnout to entrepreneurship, personal branding for coaches, female podcast host advice, business coaching frameworks, how to vet a business coach, mindset coaching for entrepreneurs, female founder podcast

She made $50 in 10 seconds. No followers, no face, no fame required.

In this episode of Founders in Jeans, host Emily Jean talks with Meg Spencer (Meg the Creator), founder of The Anti-Influencer Method, about how she left a burnt-out freelance social media career to build a business helping over 2,000 introverts make money online through UGC, Amazon On-Site Commissions, and TikTok Shop, without ever needing to grow a following.

Meg breaks down exactly why "grow followers or nothing" is a myth, how introverts are actually better suited to content creation, and the real first steps to start earning within 30 days. She also gets honest about why the online income space feels so untrustworthy to outsiders, the biggest beginner mistakes she sees, and how she's built a loyal 20K-member community without ever chasing virality.

If you're introverted, camera-shy, or just tired of being told you need 10K followers to make extra income, this episode is your permission to start differently.

TIMESTAMPS

• 00:08 – Welcome to Founders in Jeans + how to support the show
• 01:40 – Meet Meg Spencer, founder of The Anti-Influencer Method
• 03:53 – What life looked like before entrepreneurship (broke, burnt out, unfulfilled)
• 04:50 – The leap from local government to working from home
• 05:36 – Why she named it "Anti-Influencer" — and why people are burnt out on influencer culture
• 06:47 – Why making money online still feels untrustworthy to so many people
• 08:02 – The biggest misconception people have about making money online
• 08:47 – One simple thing you can do today to start earning extra income
• 09:50 – Why introverts often make the best content creators
• 10:38 – How she helps people choose the right side hustle for their personality
• 11:54 – The side hustle she thinks people should stop wasting time on
• 12:54 – What makes the Amazon On-Site Commissions model so powerful
• 13:52 – Why these income streams are still so untapped and misunderstood
• 15:18 – The first steps to start earning money this month
• 16:50 – The most common beginner mistakes to avoid
• 17:42 – Building a business while raising two daughters (and the boundaries that make it work)
• 19:29 – How she built a loyal 20K-member community without chasing trends
• 21:24 – Rapid fire: a UGC trend she loves (and secretly wants to cancel)
• 21:49 – One thing most people don't know about her
• 22:07 – Her favorite student success story
• 22:46 – Her book recommendation for budding entrepreneurs
• 23:38 – Where to find and follow Meg

__________ 

Connect with Megan Spencer:

Website: https://megthecreator.com/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@megthecreator_

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/megthecreator__

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61569846184095

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@megthecreator

__________ 

Follow Emily Jean:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emily.jeans/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-jeans/

Follow Founders in Jeans:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/foundersinjeans

Website: https://www.livegooddigital.com

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FoundersinJeans

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3kiqSke5mnlFIlC9t4xLU0

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/founders-in-jeans/id1802430594

Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://foundersinjeans.substack.com/subscribe

__________ 

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Loved this episode? Rate and review Founders in Jeans. It helps more women find us.

__________ 

make money online without followers, UGC creator for beginners, Amazon influencer program, anti-influencer method, side hustles for introverts, faceless business ideas, TikTok Shop side hustle, work from home mom business, passive income online, how to become a UGC creator

She spent 10+ years climbing the corporate ladder in management consulting — until motherhood made her stop and ask: who am I, really?

In this episode of Founders in Jeans, host Emily Jean talks with Ralitsa Malcheva, a Bulgarian-born, UK-based consultant turned freelance coach, about identity, change, and the fear of letting go of who you used to be. Ralitsa opens up about growing up in a family of entrepreneurs in a small town in Bulgaria, why she stayed in corporate for a decade despite always feeling "off," and how becoming a mom gave her the clarity to finally build something of her own.

She also dives into her coaching work helping people navigate major life and identity shifts, the biggest mistakes companies make when managing change, why emotional intelligence is now the #1 leadership skill, and how community — not just habits — is what actually keeps you grounded during uncertainty.

If you've ever felt stuck, disconnected, or like you're supposed to want something you don't actually want — this episode is for you.

TIMESTAMPS

• 00:08 – Welcome to Founders in Jeans + how to support the show
• 01:38 – Meet Ralitsa Malcheva: consultant turned coach
• 02:58 – Growing up around entrepreneurship in a small Bulgarian town
• 05:11 – Why she stayed in corporate for 10 years despite feeling "off"
• 06:12 – The turning point: was there one moment she knew it was time to leave?
• 06:38 – How motherhood became the catalyst for going out on her own
• 07:20 – Reframing motherhood as an opportunity, not an excuse
• 08:20 – What clients usually come to her for when they feel lost or disconnected
• 09:28 – The most common challenge: letting go of who you used to be
• 10:34 – The biggest mindset shift that creates real change
• 11:24 – How to stay grounded when everything feels uncertain
• 12:49 – A quick detour into Blue Zones and the power of community
• 13:15 – The biggest mistake companies make when managing change
• 14:18 – How to get people to buy into change when they're scared or resistant
• 15:33 – What makes a company culture truly healthy (beyond the buzzwords)
• 16:43 – The shift in how people think about work and purpose today
• 18:41 – The skills that matter most for leaders right now
• 19:56 – Rapid fire: her childhood business idea and dream career
• 20:33 – The daily ritual that keeps her grounded
• 20:55 – The founder who inspires her (and why)
• 22:25 – Her book recommendation for anyone going through change
• 23:35 – Where to find and connect with Ralitsa

__________ 

Connect with Ralitsa Malcheva:

Website: https://soulfulbyrali.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soulfulbyrali/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ralitsa-malcheva/

__________ 

Follow Emily Jean:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emily.jeans/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-jeans/

Follow Founders in Jeans:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/foundersinjeans

Website: https://www.livegooddigital.com

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FoundersinJeans

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3kiqSke5mnlFIlC9t4xLU0

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/founders-in-jeans/id1802430594

Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://foundersinjeans.substack.com/subscribe

__________ 

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Loved this episode? Rate and review Founders in Jeans. It helps more women find us.

__________ 

career change coach, identity and change podcast, leaving corporate for entrepreneurship, motherhood and career, organizational change management, emotional intelligence leadership, female founder podcast, coaching for career transitions, workplace culture podcast, purpose-driven leadership

She flipped ugly houses for fun. Staged them to sell fast. And accidentally built a luxury home staging franchise — with zero design degree and zero tech background.

In this episode of Founders in Jeans, host Emily Jean sits down with Alisa Sparks, founder and CEO of Linden Creek, a home staging and interior design franchise that's grown to 20+ locations — plus the Linden Creek Shop (e-commerce) and Arched, a proprietary CRM and inventory management software built for stagers and designers.

Alisa opens up about leaving a decade-long military finance career, landing her first (accidental) million-dollar listing, the moment a luxury agent changed her entire business model, and how she's scaling a creative business without losing its warmth. She also gets real about the physical grind behind the pretty Instagram photos, building software with no coding background, and why "work-life balance" is a myth she's stopped chasing.

If you're a mompreneur, aspiring franchise owner, interior design lover, or side-hustler wondering when to make the leap — this one's packed with practical, hard-won advice.

TIME STAMPS

• 00:08 – Welcome to Founders in Jeans + how to support the show
• 01:39 – Meet Alisa Sparks: founder of Linden Creek, Linden Creek Shop & Arched
• 02:58 – Growing up around entrepreneurship (and the fear that came with it)
• 03:14 – Discovering Rich Dad Poor Dad and the mindset shift toward true entrepreneurship
• 04:47 – From military finance to flipping "ugly" houses for fun
• 05:50 – The accidental staging business: turning her own furniture into a business
• 07:12 – Using every PTO day to hustle before going full-time
• 07:50 – Landing her first (and second) million-dollar listing by accident
• 08:15 – The luxury agent conversation that changed Linden Creek's entire strategy
• 09:43 – The most surprising part of franchising a creative business
• 10:46 – Keeping a scaling brand warm and personal, not corporate
• 12:28 – What people don't see behind the beautiful Instagram photos
• 14:00 – Why she built Arched, a software platform for stagers & designers
• 15:34 – Building tech with zero technical background
• 16:37 – Balancing founder life, motherhood, and four kids
• 18:44 – Advice for turning your creative side hustle into a real business
• 20:16 – Rapid fire: design trends she loves (and one she's over)
• 20:55 – Her favorite travel destination for design inspiration
• 21:43 – Her dream project (a boutique hotel!)
• 22:11 – Book/podcast recommendation for budding entrepreneurs
• 23:01 – Where to find and connect with Alisa Sparks

__________ 

Connect with Alisa Sparks:

• Website: https://linden-creek.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alisasparkslc/Alisa Sparks Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alisa_sparks_/
• Linden Creek Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lindencreek_/

__________ 

Follow Emily Jean:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emily.jeans/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-jeans/

Follow Founders in Jeans:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/foundersinjeans
• Website: https://www.livegooddigital.com
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FoundersinJeans
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3kiqSke5mnlFIlC9t4xLU0
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/founders-in-jeans/id1802430594
• Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://foundersinjeans.substack.com/subscribe

__________ 

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Loved this episode? Rate and review Founders in Jeans. It helps more women find us.

__________ 

home staging business, interior design franchise, female founder podcast, entrepreneur podcast, franchise business owner, luxury home staging, women in business, startup founder story, real estate staging tips, building a franchise from scratch, mompreneur, small business podcast

What if your brand wasn't a logo or a color palette, but a living thing you could actually listen to?

This episode is with Luna Battalia — brand strategist, leadership mentor, and founder of a full-spectrum brand studio — whose background spans design and depth psychology, including years in clinical settings before branding tripled her income during COVID. Luna walks us through "Animist Branding," her approach rooted in the idea that everything, including your business, has a soul worth being in relationship with.

We get into why messaging leads and design follows, how shifting a client's words alone can 3x monthly revenue, the "content fast" she uses to unblock creativity, and why qualitative data — does this feel right? — is just as telling as the numbers. Luna also opens up about the hardest part of finding her own voice: learning that her intensity landed louder than she meant it to, and what it took to stay fully herself while becoming easier to hear.

Whether you run a personal brand or a product company, this one reframes the whole relationship between you and the thing you're building.

TIMESTAMPS

00:09 — Intro & housekeeping (reviews, newsletter, where to follow)
01:41 — Welcome, Luna introduces herself: design + psychology background
01:57 — From clinical work (prisons, addictions care) to branding during COVID
03:10 — The childhood roots: her mom, intentionality, and care
05:23 — Animism, Shinto, and giving objects a voice — how it shaped her work
06:17 — The messaging vs. design debate, and why so many brands feel mismatched
06:46 — "When did you realize messaging was the bigger key?"
08:25 — Animist Branding explained: your brand as a living entity
13:46 — Emily's stuffed animal and the Japanese concept of objects gaining a soul
14:48 — Making it practical: KPIs, ROI, and skeptical business owners
15:50 — How shifted messaging 3x'd a client's monthly revenue
17:30 — Qualitative vs. quantitative — why "does it feel right?" is data too
18:03 — One daily shift to make your brand voice clearer
21:28 — The War of Art and the daily ritual of showing up to create
23:02 — The hardest part of finding her own voice: "deliverability"
24:04 — Realizing she was the common denominator
25:45 — Rapid fire begins
26:11 — A brand that nails its voice: Patagonia
27:17 — Her creative ritual when stuck: change the environment
28:37 — Resource recommendation: her course, Becoming the Messenger
29:31 — Where to find Luna
30:10 — Wrap

__________ 

Connect with Luna Battalia:

Website: https://www.lunaloveleadership.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/luna-battalia-352404248/

Instagram: https://instagram.com/lunabattalia

__________ 

Follow Emily Jean:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emily.jeans/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-jeans/

Follow Founders in Jeans:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/foundersinjeans

Website: https://www.livegooddigital.com

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FoundersinJeans

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3kiqSke5mnlFIlC9t4xLU0

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/founders-in-jeans/id1802430594

Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://foundersinjeans.substack.com/subscribe

__________ 

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Loved this episode? Rate and review Founders in Jeans. It helps more women find us.

__________ 

Luna Battalia, animist branding, brand messaging, brand voice, personal branding, brand strategy, storytelling, depth psychology, female founder, startup founder, founder podcast, creative entrepreneur, marketing podcast, women in business, Founders in Jeans, Emily Jean