Mimir

In this episode, I sit down with Kelly Pigeon, the brilliant founder of Epiphany, a clit arousal serum. Kelly's entrepreneurial journey is fascinating, and through our conversation you can tell how wise her experience has made her. With Epiphany, she aimed to create a product for women, but she quickly discovered the complexities of bringing a formulated product to market.

This episode is a must-listen for anyone considering launching a product that requires a lab and formulation. Kelly shares invaluable lessons from her experience, including the challenges of working with labs and navigating regulatory hurdles. I was particularly surprised to learn about the nuances of formula ownership, which can vary depending on factors like cost and the lab you choose.

Marketing intimate products also presents unique challenges, and I was eager to hear Kelly's approach. We dive deep into the advertising restrictions on platforms like Instagram and the delicate balance of targeting a specific market while promoting inclusivity. Kelly's previous business experience also played a crucial role in her success.

One of my favorite quotes from the interview was that failure is the price you pay for success, and this idea of “failure” in entrepreneurship is almost cliche. But, like all cliches, they’re cliche’s for a reason. Kelly’s opening up about her past mistakes and how that helped her come back as a better business woman with Epiphany. Yes failure is terrifying in the moment, but it serves you so well later. Specifically she told me this amazing story about this INSANELY genius deal she made with agencies to help her with branding for Epiphany.

Whether you're dreaming of launching your own product or simply interested in the world of intimate wellness, this episode offers valuable insights from a seasoned entrepreneur. So let’s welcome Kelly to the podcast.

Connect with Kelly:

Website: https://tryepiphany.com/

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

Connect with Maddie

This week’s episode is a dream for me. It’s exactly the kind of content I set out to make when I started this podcast. Stephanie Nightingale, the founder of Stimmie, the first reusable toothpick, is breaking down everything you need to know about going from pre-concept to being in the proof of concept stage.

It’s very rare to hear people in the pre-seed, or proof of concept stage, talk deeply and frankly about the funding process and how they got their first investors. But Steph is getting real about her personal experience and passing her wisdom along to you guys. This is really the shit that no one talks about or wants you to know. She’s leaving you with great tips on how to talk to investors, and how she achieved her goal of having 300 conversations.

When I heard that 300 number I was astounded. I never knew how founders spent their days in the early stages of getting a business off the ground, but Steph demonstrates that entrepreneurship is all about connectivity. There’s no blueprint for any of this, so it’s about learning from others’ experiences and getting feedback on what you’re doing. Whether that’s product specific, business advice, or even testing brand messaging.

I had to ask her about her pitch. As someone in the early stages of a startup, the pitch is everything. It’s my bible. But in those 300 calls she wasn’t just doing her pitch over and over again. She said that she was just telling her story, and that’s what people really want to know. Steph and I are also diving deep on simplifying brand messaging.

As founders, we’re so deep in the weeds of what our products are and what their value is. But as Steph says, we really need to dumb it down for people. Distillation can be so challenging, but Steph is walking through how she got there with her product, so hopefully you can apply the same process to your businesses.

This episode is great for all my super early stage founders. You guys are going to learn the process of building a business plan, seeking funding, and refining the product through multiple iterations. This is a super tactical episode, but one that’s also filled with honesty and vulnerability. I am so grateful to Steph for sharing her expertise and experience with all of you.

Connect with Steph:

Subscribe to their Website: shopstimmie.com

Instagram: @itsstimmie https://www.instagram.com/itsstimmie/

TikTok: @itsstimmie

LinkedIn: Stephanie Nightingale https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-nightingale-899b6118/

Connect with Maddie

In this episode I’m sitting down with Adrienne Martin, Founder of Mighty Bean Co., who shares her experience of balancing a full-time job and a side business. Both she and I get asked constantly how we manage our time, and I was pleasantly surprised to hear we have completely opposite approaches. Adrienne is all about simplicity and I really enjoyed hearing her perspective.

My favorite part of our conversation centers around unrealistic expectations. After COVID when we all collectively realized that we could monetize our passions, it felt like overnight successes became a dime a dozen. As a result, we started to model our expectations off what we see online. But, as we know, all good things take time. Adrienne and I are diving deep into setting unrealistic goals, why we do it, how to handle when they inevitably don’t happen, and how to appreciate the actual growth that you’re experiencing, no matter how seemingly small.

Of course I couldn’t let Adrienne go without asking her if she plans to take Mighty Bean full time, and she brought up a good point. Why do we have to choose? I think people expect those with side hustles to eventually make it full time, because why else would we work ourselves to the bone? But Adrienne calls herself a multi-hyphenate and she prefers to quietly sell. It's possible to find joy and fulfillment in both a full time role and a side business. Also, side note, if you were still on the fence about listening to this episode all the way through, Adrienne is hitting you with the social media hack that will get you engagement like never before. She’s tested it herself and it works.. I’m definitely trying it.

This conversation provides an interesting perspective on balancing a full time job and a profitable passion. It’s great for anyone who is currently doing both, or someone who’s looking to start a side hustle. The conclusion we come to is that the beauty of life is that we can pursue whatever we want and we don’t actually have to choose.

Connect with Adrienne:

Website: www.mightybean.co

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

Facebook: https://facebook.com/mightybeanco

Pinterest: https://pinterest.com/mightybeanco

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mighty-bean-co/

Connect with Maddie

Boy do I have a wild ride for you guys. In this episode I’m sitting down with Henry Woodman who has had the most incredible life journey I have ever heard. I knew I had to have him on the podcast when he told me that he spent a summer as a teen exploring the jungles of Honduras searching for a lost city. After that, he has had experience starting a tech platform, executive producing a game show in Chile, and now publishing a book and turning it into a limited TV series.

This conversation really centers on the challenges and rewards of facing your fears and taking risks. Henry's travels and life experiences have shaped his entrepreneurial mindset and perspective. When you were fighting for your life in the jungle as a teenager, taking the risk of starting a company seems small in comparison. So we’re diving deep into the importance of independence, critical thinking, and surrounding yourself with like-minded individuals to succeed in business.

Then Henry proceeds to tell me the most amazing journey behind the book his dad wrote, called “The Reincarnation of Marie,” that he is now turning into a TV show. The origin story of this book and how it became a series is unbelievable. It mirrors so many of the same themes in the book, it was like the universe was conspiring to make this happen for him.

This conversation blends all my favorite things, entrepreneur mindset, the metaverse, fiction books, TV, and divine timing, it’s so much fun. This episode is great inspo for any entrepreneur, we are getting into how to take those first steps, what the vision is, how to hire people on a budget etc. But it’s also amazing if you guys are looking for a little adventure and want to hear about someone who has lived seven lives.

Connect with Henry:

https://mariethestory.com/

Networking group discussed: https://www.ypo.org/

Connect with Maddie

You guys have heard me say ad nauesum how important exercise is as an entrepreneur. Not just for physical health, but more so to support your mental health. Being an entrepreneur is hard on your ego, your emotions, your perseverance and I truly believe that exercise gives you the chemicals, grit, and discipline needed to sustain and support founders. As such, I’ve been dying to have a personal trainer on the podcast to talk more about this.

So, in this episode I’m sitting down with Mel Grauds who the founder of Melrose Training. She started her career as a registered nurse, but after getting burnt out and finding her love for fitness she decided to branch out and start personal training. We’re diving deep into her journey becoming an entrepreneur. Aside from tangible tips on how to start a personal training business, everything from the certifications and studios etc. we’re talking about the importance of strength training.

Mel addresses the common misconceptions about strength training, such as the fear of getting bulky, and highlights the science behind its benefits. We’re also getting into how this style of training allows you to set measurable goals to track progress and stay motivated, that other forms of exercise might not.

Overall, this episode is your motivation to get your butt in the gym. If you’re a long time listener or just tuning in for the first time, you’re going to understand why working out is important for your mental health and why it supports you as the CEO.

Work with Mel:

www.melrosetraining.ca

Instagram & TikTok: melrosetraining

Connect with Maddie

In this episode I’m sitting down with Maddy Aucoin who has been an entrepreneur for almost 5 years now and is onto her second business. Five years might not sound like a lot, but Maddy has impressive experience with scaling insanely fast - like 18 months fast- and has a wealth of experience to share. Maddy now owns By Maddy Aucoin , a copy writing business where she helps business owners articulate their brand messaging.

This conversation drills down into how to find your voice in marketing, how to create social media content that is unique, and how to pivot industries. It’s a great chat for my early stage startups that haven’t quite figured out how to talk about themselves online. I know this is something that I personally struggle with and Maddy really helped me figure out some basics that I have already started applying.

We’re leaving you with tangible tips for content creation. How to do so authentically, organically, and ethically. Maddy helped reframe my mindset around business marketing which I found really valuable. But, my favorite part of the conversation centers around ethical marketing practices today.

Something we connected on off-air was how out of hand some of these Instagram and TikTok hooks are getting. You know what I’m talking about, you see it all the time when scrolling: download my guide or follow me to get rich in 3 months or get a million instagram followers in 6. months. Maddy and I are diving into why these happen, what it means for brand equity, whether some of them are legit or not, and the implications of this on marketing practices in general. It’s fascinating for someone like me who’s obsessed with marketing.

Connect with Maddy:

Website: https://www.bymaddyaucoin.com/

Instagram: https://www.bymaddyaucoin.com/

Connect with Maddie

In this episode I’m sitting down with Victoria Marshman who is the Co-founder of Mave and Chez, the only ergonomic luxury slipper designed for women’s bodies. This conversation covers a lot; everything from taking an idea from concept to first launch to bootstrapping to first funding rounds. It’s a great episode for any entrepreneur in ideation or early stages.

Aside from the actual topics of the conversation, generally speaking, I loved chatting with Victoria. We bonded over so many things. From both randomly living in China to our personal development journeys, she’s so fun to talk to. It feels like I’m just sitting down for coffee, catching up with my founder girl, hearing about her challenges and current wins. She’s getting deep into her experiences raising capital, kickstarter campaigns, navigating stakeholders, and tapping local communities for help.

One of my favorite parts of the conversation centers around goal setting. I’ve always been curious to understand how business owners set quarterly or yearly goals, and Victoria blew me away with her response. It’s truly fascinating and not at all what I thought she was going to say. Eventually this lead into a discussion about personal growth. It was really fun to talk to Victoria about this because her and her co-founder are totally on the same page as me about this.

She and I are breaking down WHY you need to let go of the how in order to grow. This is cool because I’ve never really articulated why surrendering is key for personal growth, but for any skeptics out there this is the episode where I’m changing your mind. This conversation is a beautiful blend between silliness and seriousness, both Victoria and I hope this episode leaves you feeling hopeful and like your cup is a little fuller.

Connect with Victoria:

Connect with me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/victoria_marshman

Idea to Launch Crash Course: https://victoriamarshman.simplero.com/cart/208729-Idea-to-Launch-Crash-Course

Book a Discovery Call: https://victoriamarshman.ca/

Shop MAVES: https://maveandchez.com/

Book: Crowdfunded - Mark Pecotta

Connect with Maddie

Today’s conversation focuses on how to build self-confidence in 5 key areas of life, how to make successful pivots, finding purpose and fulfillment, and what a strong work ethic and self-discipline really is. I’m sitting down with Alexandra Dotcheva who moved to America from Bulgaria to complete her doctorate in music. She went on to join the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra. But after 2 years she decided to pursue a career in nursing and has been practicing since 2011. In 2014, she made another change to pursue investing. Alexandra now owns 3 real estate businesses and a holistic coaching business.

Alexandra’s passion for health, fitness, financial independence, and her experience with lack of self confidence prompted her to publish her book, It Really Is Simple: A Holistic Approach to Self-Confidence, in which she shares her path to success in an effort to motivate readers to embrace change and pursue their dreams, in spite of fear and insecurity.

I was so impressed with Alexandra’s ability to adapt to life’s challenges, and I couldn’t wait to pick her brain about how and why she was able to pivot so many times successfully. We’re diving deep into what to do when the universe forces you to make big changes and how to come out on top. Her mission to help people overcome self-imposed limitations that prevent others from realizing their goals, finding peace of mind, and acquiring prosperity, is so Mimir coded that I knew she would be an amazing guest for you guys.

She’s leaving you with tangible tips on how to build self-confidence through addressing five key aspects of life: health, spirituality, career, finances, and relationships. I’m also asking her to dig into how she established her killer work ethic, what it means to be self-disciplined today, and how to hold yourself and others accountable.

This conversation is great for any entrepreneur who’s focused on bettering themselves. We’re talking about how to level up in literally every aspect of your life, so this is not an episode you’re going to want to miss.

Connect with Alexandra:

Website: https://www.holisticselfconfidence.com/

Connect with Maddie

In this episode I’m sitting down with James McKay who is, the founder of Ven, a collective of revenue experts helping accelerate growth for startups. James shares his career journey from film to tech sales and eventually starting his own business. I’m picking James’ brain based on his wealth of experience in tech. When James and I spoke originally off-air I was curious for him to expand on how even though he had worked in tech, and therefore felt like he had a pretty good idea of what he was getting into before launching his own company, there were still things he wasn’t expecting.

This conversation is a deep dive into the entrepreneurial experience. Everything from the challenges and rewards of working in tech, to the founder mentality, to aligning incentives with employees to create a fostering and empowering environment.

James shares the challenges he’s personally faced and those he’s experienced working in tech. He’s also sharing the tough decisions founders have to face as they scale their companies. We’re talking about things like how to make easy transitions, transfer of knowledge, and the discipline around setting your company up for success early.

Eventually, as all the Mimir convos go, James and I get into mindset and the importance of self-awareness for founders.

But my favorite part of the conversation centers around a high-level breakdown of what sets tech startups apart as an industry. We’re getting deep into the environment it fosters, the people that it supports, and why it’s so much fun to work in. Eventually we’re even talking about the future of work and the benefits of modular work arrangements. This is such a great conversation for anyone in or interested in tech. In my humble opinion, it feels like the first real thought leadership conversation I’ve had on the podcast and I’m incredibly proud of this interview.

Connect with James:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-mckay-ven/

Website: https://www.ven.studio/

VEN Linkedin page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ven-revops/

In this episode I’m sitting down with Vince Quinn who is the founder of SBX production. Vince got his start in radio and worked his ass off in sales until he grew to hosting his own nationally syndicated show.

We chat about the challenges and realities of working in radio, including the competitive nature of the industry eventually leading him to transition to running his own podcast production company.

This was one of the main reasons I was excited to chat about Vince. So many people want to start a podcast these days, and I encourage everyone to do it. When I decided to start Mimir I had grand dreams of expanding it into a podcast production company similar to Dear Media. Even now, I get questions all the time about how I started the podcast, what it takes to run it, and where I see it going in the future. So this is a great episode for anyone who’s thought about starting a podcast.

Vince and I dive deep into what it takes to make one that succeeds. He emphasizes the importance of building a brand organically over time, the need for commitment, perseverance, and finding the right audience.

Our conversation explores the overwhelming need for passion in your area, authenticity, and commitment in creating a successful podcast. In order for people to tune in every week you have to fully believe in and be obsessed with your topic, and hosts should have a genuine curiosity when conducting interviews. We’re also leaving you with tangible tips into the various aspects of podcast production, including show development, guest booking, editing, and social media promotion.

Vince’s advice to any aspiring podcaster is to take the time to figure out if podcasting is the right fit for you and be willing to iterate and let it evolve. I wish I had had this episode when I had the idea to transition Mimir from a blog to a podcast, so I hope this will inspire the right person and them the tools they need to get that dream moving.

Connect with Vince:

Website: SBXProductions.com/contact

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

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vince-quinn-7456114a/

Connect with Maddie