How Women Inspire: Invest, Lead, Give

The fitness industry has seen many changes, especially since the Pandemic. One of those changes is the popularity of at-home fitness which is still led by professional instructors. Lauren Foundos, Founder of FORTË, is changing the game by creating opportunities for more gyms and studios to reach their members, even when those members want to work out at home. Lauren is here this week to talk about her journey from working on wall street to helping advance technology in the fitness industry and more.  This week’s episode 79 of How Women Inspire Podcast is about investing in the fitness industry! 

In this episode of How Women Inspire Podcast, Lauren Foundos is sharing the importance of lowering the barrier to entry for fitness for everyone and actionable steps you can take right now to build your business support system. 

Lauren Foundos is the Founder and CEO of FORTË, a digital platform that allows gyms and fitness studios to provide their own fitness classes as an on-demand streaming platform for their members. FORTË has created digital experiences with many companies including the YMCA, the NFL Players Association, the UFC, and more. Lauren founded FORTE after a career in the financial industry, working on Wall Street with Whitaker Securities.

Some of the talking points Julie and Lauren go over in this episode include:

• Lauren’s background in fitness and how she’s people’s interest in fitness change since the pandemic.
• The journey of becoming a woman founder after working on Wall Street.
• How having supportive, active investors makes a difference in a company.
• What lobbying for the PHIT Act in Washington DC taught Lauren about legislation.

Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag me!  And don’t forget to follow, rate, and review the podcast and tell me your key takeaways!

Learn more about How Women Inspire at https://www.howwomenlead.com/podcast 

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FORTË

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Women are often underserved in the healthcare system and this gap in quality of care is a large detriment to society as a whole. Coyote Ventures, founded by Jessica Karr, is one of the only venture capital funds investing in women-led startups creating women’s healthcare solutions.  Join us in our conversation today where we talk about women’s healthcare, how to empower women and girls, and more! This week’s episode 78 of How Women Inspire Podcast is about expanding women’s health venture capital! 

In this episode of How Women Inspire Podcast, Jessica Karr is sharing the importance of being collaborative to get the best results and actionable steps you can take right now to build a strong professional network. 

Jessica Karr is the Founder and General Partner at Coyote Ventures, a venture capital fund investing in early-stage startups that are innovating women's health & wellness. Jessica is passionate about innovation that drives positive change in human health, equality, and our relationship with the earth. She worked for 6+ years designing and launching the Impossible burger as the 12th employee. Moreover, Jessica has advised and consulted over a dozen companies internationally on product strategies.

Some of the talking points Julie and Jessica go over in this episode include:

• Jessica’s choice to have Coyote Ventures focus on women’s healthcare solutions.
• The cost of a lack of women’s healthcare on society, families, and employers.
• The balance of masculine and feminine characteristics for well-rounded leadership.
• Jessica’s two most important things to look for in a startup.

Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag me!  And don’t forget to follow, rate, and review the podcast and tell me your key takeaways!

Learn more about How Women Inspire at https://www.howwomenlead.com/podcast 

CONNECT WITH JESSICA KARR:

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Coyote Ventures

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How Women Lead

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How Women Give

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From titles to resumes and everything in between, government careers appear very different from civilian careers. The two, however, are far more similar than what meets the eye. In order to transition from one to the other, you need to be able to translate the experiences into the language understood by the other industry. Essye Miller is here today to discuss her journey and the lessons she learned from transitioning from the Department of Defense to a board director.  This week’s episode 77 of How Women Inspire Podcast is about transitioning from a government position to a board position! 

In this episode of How Women Inspire Podcast, Essye Miller is sharing the importance of repositioning yourself and your experiences and actionable steps you can take right now to prepare yourself for the search for board opportunities in both the public and private sectors. 

Essye Miller is the former CIO of the United States Department of Defense, where she held governance, charted strategy, piloted the DoD’s information enterprise overseeing its 11-figure budget, and influenced the overall technology strategy. Today, Essye is a public and private company board director and the CEO of Executive Business Management, her consultancy focuses on providing services and advisory to corporate businesses, government, and NGO clients on cybersecurity, information management, information technology, and national defense.

Some of the talking points Julie and Essye go over in this episode include:

• Transitioning from a major government role to supporting public and private company boards, and what that transition looks like.
• How Essye built her network of support while searching for board opportunities.
• Maximizing public speaking engagements and articles to be relevant and true enough for future opportunities.
• Recommendations for those thinking about how to architect the next phase of their career.

Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag me!  And don’t forget to follow, rate, and review the podcast and tell me your key takeaways!

Learn more about How Women Inspire at https://www.howwomenlead.com/podcast 

CONNECT WITH ESSYE MILLER:

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In the year following the historic Dobbs decision that changed the landscape of women’s reproductive health, access to emergency contraceptives and abortion services is more important and sought after than ever. While navigating reproductive healthcare in the post-Roe world can be daunting, there are groups like the American Society for Emergency Contraception, who are there to help make it easier. This week’s episode 76 of How Women Inspire Podcast is about the fight for accessible emergency contraception! 

In this episode of How Women Inspire Podcast, Kelly Cleland is sharing the importance of breaking the stigmas around abortion and emergency contraception and actionable steps you can take right now to support organizations supporting women’s reproductive health. 

Kelly Cleland is the Executive Director of The American Society for Emergency Contraception. Kelly worked as a researcher at Princeton University for 14 years, with an emphasis on emergency contraception and medication abortion. She is an enthusiastic mentor to young people and is a proud graduate of the women leaders for the World program.

Some of the talking points Julie and Kelly go over in this episode include:

• How the American Society for Emergency Contraception contributes to advancing access to emergency contraception.
• Student leaders taking access to emergency contraception access on campuses into their own hands.
• How many pharmacies have unnecessary or outdated hurdles in place for those wanting to get Plan B and other emergency contraceptives.
• The importance of mentorship and groups of all-women contemporaries.

Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag me!  And don’t forget to follow, rate, and review the podcast and tell me your key takeaways!

Learn more about How Women Inspire at https://www.howwomenlead.com/podcast 

CONNECT WITH KELLY CLELAND:

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Website

American Society for Emergency Contraception

Emergency Contraception for Every Campus

CONNECT WITH JULIE CASTRO ABRAMS:

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How Women Lead

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Influencer marketing is a fast-growing marketing strategy that gets active, engaged audiences in front of a brand’s product. But how does it work? What are these ‘micro-influencers’ and how is this business lucrative for them? Today, Kristen Wiley sits down with us to teach us about influencer marketing and how her platform Statusphere makes the process of partnering brands with influencers easier than ever. This week’s episode 75 of How Women Inspire Podcast is about the benefits of micro-influencer marketing! 

In this episode of How Women Inspire Podcast, Kristen Wiley is sharing the importance of building trust as an influencer and actionable steps you can take right now to see if influencer marketing is right for you. 

Kristen Wiley is the Founder and CEO of Statusphere, a platform that helps brands scale their micro-influencer marketing in a fraction of the time it would take on their own. Before founding Statusphere, Kristen was the Chief Marketing Officer at GreenHouse Agency, a digital marketing agency specializing in small and startup brands.

Some of the talking points Julie and Kristen go over in this episode include:

• The definition of a ‘micro-influencer’ and influencer marketing.
• Why influencer marketing is hard for a brand to scale on their own.
• The snowball effect brands experience once influencer marketing takes off for them.
• The importance of always learning and staying positive.

Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag me!  And don’t forget to follow, rate, and review the podcast and tell me your key takeaways!

Learn more about How Women Inspire at https://www.howwomenlead.com/podcast 

CONNECT WITH KRISTEN WILEY:

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Statusphere

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As climate change becomes more and more apparent an issue, working together with the people most affected by it is imperative to adapting and slowing down the rapid changes. But in Nigeria and other places where the women working the land aren’t even allowed to own it, their voices and innovative ideas are often left out of the conversation. 

Today, Olanike Olugboji is here to talk about her work raising women’s voices and her mission to expose women to new technologies, allowing them to lead the way. This week’s episode 74 of How Women Inspire Podcast is about women working for environmental sustainability! 

In this episode of How Women Inspire Podcast, Olanike Olugobji is sharing the importance of involving women in climate change technologies and actionable steps you can take right now to improve your leadership qualities.

Olanike Olugboji is the executive director of the Women's Initiative for Sustainable Environment and the lead for the WISE Women’s Renewable Energy Training. At a very young age, she took a journey into the world of social activism where she founded the environmental management and protection network. Olanike’s work became centered on engaging grassroots women and natural resource stewarding and peacemaking. To date, her efforts have directly impacted over 20,000 women at the grassroots.

Some of the talking points Julie and Olanike go over in this episode include:

• Olanike’s journey with environmental activism, which started at a very young age.
• Women are the ones who are most affected by environmental challenges, and they are best positioned to drive the solutions.
• How exposing women to technology allows them to take the lead.
• The influences on Olanike’s leadership and what her next 5 years looks like.

Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag me!  And don’t forget to follow, rate, and review the podcast and tell me your key takeaways!

Learn more about How Women Inspire at https://www.howwomenlead.com/podcast 

CONNECT WITH OLANIKE OLUGBOJI:

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CONNECT WITH JULIE CASTRO ABRAMS:

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Every woman will go through a career transition at some point in her life. And while the idea of changing paths can be daunting, it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. With a strong support network and a deep understanding of your strengths, transitioning careers can set you up for success going forward. Lena Cheng is here to talk about all that and more. This week’s episode 73 of How Women Inspire Podcast is about navigating career transitions!

In this episode of How Women Inspire Podcast, Lena Cheng is sharing the importance of doing something every day to prepare for your career transition and actionable steps you can take right now to make the most of your networking between careers. 

Lena Cheng is the co-founder of Best Friend Jack, a health-tech marketing branding agency that partners with ambitious, venture-backed startups to supercharge growth in pursuit of a shared goal — smarter, faster, more accessible healthcare for all. Lena pivoted from the medical field to marketing after earning her MD from the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University.

Some of the talking points Julie and Lena go over in this episode include:

• How and why Lena went from a career as a doctor to a marketer.
• Balancing the practicalities of life with transitioning careers.
• Don’t be afraid to ask for help in more than one way.
• Using the Regroup model to start a women’s support network.

Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag me!  And don’t forget to follow, rate, and review the podcast and tell me your key takeaways!

Learn more about How Women Inspire at https://www.howwomenlead.com/podcast 

CONNECT WITH LENA CHENG:

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Best Friend Jack

CONNECT WITH JULIE CASTRO ABRAMS:

LinkedIn - Julie

How Women Lead

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How Women Give

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“Deals are made on the golf course.” “Your network is your net worth.” How often have we women heard these phrases throughout our lives, only to be scolded or warned against doing these same things that men are encouraged to do? It’s time for us to change the cultural narrative around using our connections to create professional opportunities for ourselves and the women around us. This week’s episode 72 of How Women Inspire Podcast is about the second tenant of the How Women Lead credo: saying yes to helping each other! 

In this episode of How Women Inspire Podcast, Julie Castro Abrams is sharing the importance of making introductions for other women and actionable steps you can take right now to increase opportunities for yourself and the women around you!

Some of the talking points Julie goes over in this episode include:

• It's not what you know, it’s who you know.
• How women are discouraged from making introductions for one another when men are encouraged to do so.
• The power of actively making connections.

Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag me!  And don’t forget to follow, rate, and review the podcast and tell me your key takeaways!

Learn more about How Women Inspire at https://www.howwomenlead.com/podcast 

CONNECT WITH JULIE CASTRO ABRAMS:

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How Women Lead

How Women Invest

How Women Give

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Facebook - HWL

Poverty among women, especially women of color, continues to be a problem throughout the world. In impoverished countries, rates of femicide are much higher, and that problem was brought even more to light during the pandemic. But Mpho Hansjee is one of many women working to end the poverty of women artisans in South Africa by teaching entrepreneurial skills and providing access to larger markets. This week’s episode 71 of How Women Inspire Podcast is about ending women’s poverty with e-commerce! 

In this episode of How Women Inspire Podcast, Mpho Hansjee is sharing the importance of taking risks and living life fully and actionable steps you can take right now to support women entrepreneurs all over the world. 

Mpho Hansjee is the founder and CEO of Women Enabled Enterprises, which strives to help low-income women of color artisans in African countries grow their craft business for self-sufficiency through a virtual, mobile-phone-based, retail entrepreneurship skills-building program, access to international markets through our USA online marketplace (ShopConsciously), micro-funding from VC impact partner investors and ongoing alumni support.  For more than 15 years, she has helped fortune 500 retail companies analyze customer and product data and leverage it to adopt strategies and operation solutions that drive great meaningful business results. She increases category sales, establishes world-class best practices, streamlines processes, and optimizes performance.

Some of the talking points Julie and Mpho go over in this episode include:

• The connection between silicon valley entrepreneurial spirit and gender equity.
• How growing up in South Africa shaped Mpho’s view of women in entrepreneurship.
• Women entrepreneurs create sustainable businesses and solve environmental issues.
• How Women Enabled Enterprises is growing and expanding into many South African markets.

Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag me!  And don’t forget to follow, rate, and review the podcast and tell me your key takeaways!

Learn more about How Women Inspire at https://www.howwomenlead.com/podcast 

CONNECT WITH MPHO HANSJEE:

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Women Enabled Enterprises

ShopConsiously

CONNECT WITH JULIE CASTRO ABRAMS:

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How Women Lead

How Women Invest

How Women Give

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Accessing funding and capital as a small business is challenging, especially so for those who belong to minority communities. But there are people out there rooting for the “new majority” and investing in their businesses and ventures. Today, Elizabeth Gore from Hello Alice is here to talk about investing in minority-owned businesses and more. This week’s episode 70 of How Women Inspire Podcast is about funding new majority small businesses! 

In this episode of How Women Inspire Podcast, Elizabeth Gore is sharing the importance of leading with your values and advice you can use right now to weather the highs and lows of entrepreneurship. 

Elizabeth Gore is the Co-founder and President of Hello Alice, a FinTech platform helping over 1 million small business owners access capital. She served as Entrepreneur in Residence at Dell Technologies, the United Nations Foundation, and was a Peace Corps volunteer in Bolivia. Elizabeth has been passionate about breaking down barriers for entrepreneurs from diverse backgrounds, including women, People of Color veterans, and people with disabilities.

Some of the talking points Julie and Elizabeth go over in this episode include:

• How Elizabeth and Carolyn came together to form Hello Alice.
• How using outdated technology to assess creditworthiness hurts small business owners. 
• Using their mission to support businesses through Covid-19.
• Elizabeth’s tenants for leadership and how they’ve changed over the years.

Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag me!  And don’t forget to follow, rate, and review the podcast and tell me your key takeaways!

Learn more about How Women Inspire at https://www.howwomenlead.com/podcast 

CONNECT WITH ELIZABETH GORE:

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Twitter

Hello Alice

CONNECT WITH JULIE CASTRO ABRAMS:

LinkedIn - Julie

How Women Lead

How Women Invest

How Women Give

Instagram - HWL

LinkedIn - HWL

Facebook - HWL