Potential to Powerhouse: Success Secrets for Women Entrepreneurs

Today's guest is a powerhouse personified: a visionary real estate entrepreneur, a reality TV star, and a devoted mom. Real talk: Tracy Tutor didn't always have everything as together in her life as she does now, and she's as candid about the challenging times she's faced as she is about her successes. There are many parallels between our guest Tracy and me, and in today's episode we delve into marriage, divorce, dating younger men, and how we have learned to wholly and unapologetically embrace who we are. Tracy's balance of femininity and toughness, her drive to support other women on their own journeys of discovery, and her willingness to be open to whatever opportunities present themselves to her are some of the many qualities that make her a truly inspirational woman. Tune in today to hear Tracy's story — from an aspiring actress waiting tables to a force to be reckoned with in all aspects of life.

Key Points From This Episode:

• Introducing today's guest: real estate entrepreneur and reality TV star Tracy Tutor
• How Tracy gives back and the meaning it gives her life
• Tracy shares the story of her unsuccessful marriage and the important lessons she learned through that journey.
• How Tracy's life changed when she started embracing her power
• An overview of Tracy's family dynamics
• Qualities that Tracy has inherited from her dad
• Why Tracy thinks that everyone can benefit from waiting tables
• What Tracy's childhood dream career was and how she got into real estate
• The life-changing impact that starring in a reality TV show had on Tracy
• A deep dive into Tracy's three full-time jobs
• Reasons that motivated Tracy to write her book, Fear Is Just A Four Letter Word
• The delicate balance that Tracy holds between her femininity and her toughness
• What Tracy loves about dating
• We share our experiences of dating men from a younger generation.
• The power of being open to opportunities and the new venture that Tracy is involved in that came as a result of her openness to new opportunities

Links Mentioned in Today's Episode:

Tracy Tutor

Tracy Tutor on Instagram

Tracy Tutor on LinkedIn

Tracy Tutor on TikTok

Fear Is Just A Four Letter Word

Million Dollar Listing

Un'Sweet Wine

HatchBeauty

Potential to Powerhouse

Tracy Holland on Instagram

Do you know what your tampons are made of? This isn't a question that many women ask themselves, but when Alex Friedman and Jordana Kier started to think about the answer, they couldn't stop. After establishing that they had the same level of passion for bringing eco-conscious menstrual products to women in the most convenient way, they began their journey as entrepreneurs through the co-founding of LOLA. Not only is LOLA the first lifelong brand for reproductive health, but it is also one of the only brands that encourages open, honest conversations about a topic that has been hidden away in the shadows for so long. Join us today to hear how LOLA has grown over the past nine years and learn some of the key lessons that Alex and Jordana have learned along the way!

Key Points From This Episode:

• Introducing Alex and Jordana, the founders of women's health and wellness brand LOLA
• How Alex and Jordana have separated responsibilities within LOLA
• Where the idea for LOLA originated and how Alex and Jordana's partnership was formed
• Growth that LOLA has experienced since its founding
• Alex's prior experience working in a start-up
• Factors that have made Alex and Jordana's partnership so successful
• LOLA's drive to get women talking about periods
• An overview of how Jorana and Alex created a women's health brand that users love, rather than just one that they have to use
• Hear a bit about Alex and Jordana's family histories with regard to entrepreneurship
• The importance of acknowledging that there are many different definitions of success
• A valuable lesson that Alex and Jordana have learned about decision making through their journey with LOLA
• How Alex and Jordana feel about building a company and a family at the same time
• Where you can buy LOLA products

Links Mentioned in Today's Episode:

LOLA

LOLA on Instagram

LOLA on Facebook

LOLA on YouTube

LOLA on Twitter

Alex Friedman on LinkedIn

Jordana Kier on LinkedIn

HatchBeauty

Potential to Powerhouse

Tracy Holland on Instagram

Our guest today has always wanted to have a positive impact on the world. But her methods for doing so have drastically shifted since she started out, along with her career trajectory. Sarah Dusek first began her career in Africa working with NGOs. After experiencing burnout and frustration at their lack of impact, she and her husband decided to start their entrepreneurial journey in America. They co-founded Under Canvas, a company that recreated the African safari glamping experience on American soil. Since then, they have achieved a lucrative exit strategy and co-founded Enygma Ventures, a company that helps women across Africa grow large-scale businesses. In our conversation with Sarah, we take a closer look at her entrepreneurial journey as she reflects on how it has brought her full circle back to where she started her career, in Africa. Tuning in, you'll hear Sarah describe some of the most significant moments in her career, why having a strong support network that can relate to the highs and lows of being an entrepreneur is so important, and why she is determined to drastically increase outside investments in Africa. To learn all about how Sarah is helping women across the world get the funding they deserve, and much more, make sure you tune in today!

Key Points From This Episode:

• Introducing today's guest, Sarah Dusek, Investor and Founder of Enygma Ventures, venture capitalist, entrepreneur, and profoundly heart-led professional
• Sarah's company, Under Canvas, their successful exit, and her subsequent dedication to helping women on their journey to financial freedom
• Sarah's journey thus far and her enduring mission to make the world a better place
• What Sarah learned from working with NGOs
• How this motivated her and her husband to create their company Under Canvas
• Why it's so difficult — and important— to ask yourself what you want
• How Sarah outlined the outcomes she wanted for Under Canvas and then executed them
• The concept of BHAG (big, hairy, audacious, goals) and why it's so useful
• How Under Canvas found a buyer and made a successful exit
• The difficulty of closing a deal and why it almost always takes multiple attempts
• How Sarah and her husband entered the investment space and founded Enygma Ventures
• How Enygma Ventures is helping women across Africa grow large-scale businesses
• Sarah and Tracy's thoughts on entrepreneurship and some of the challenges relating to parents who aren't entrepreneurs
• The network of women who supported Sarah during some of the most stressful periods of her entrepreneurial journey
• Learn about Pranary, the online course for early-stage entrepreneurs.
• How Pranary is equipping individuals in Africa and across the world to be investor-ready

Links Mentioned in Today's Episode:

Sarah Dusek on LinkedIn

Enygma Ventures

Pranary

Potential to Powerhouse

Tracy Holland on Instagram

With a list of accolades and awards that spans multiple pages, Sarah Kunst is one of the guests who we were most excited to talk to! Tune in today to find out how this impressive entrepreneur has challenged the status quo by empowering other women to find opportunities to invest. Sarah talks to us about her childhood, how her parents shaped her views on gender roles and hard work, and why she feels that getting perfect grades at the expense of other experiences is not always beneficial. Sarah takes us through her journey from campus rep for companies like Apple, to her passion for consumer products at Chanel, to entering the world of venture capitalism unintentionally. We learn why it's so hard to be an entrepreneur and a venture capitalist, and Sarah shares some valuable advice for female entrepreneurs. From how she intentionally finds balance in her life to why your wellness time should not be prescribed by an influencer, you won't want to miss this exciting episode.

Key Points From This Episode:

• An introduction to Sarah Kunst, managing director at Cleo Capital, contributing editor at Marie Claire magazine, venture capitalist, and all-round go-getter

• How Sarah's parents shaped her and her appreciation for stay-at-home mothers

• Find out the type of child Sarah was, as well as her attitude to schoolwork

• How Sarah ended up in finance: working hard to have fun in college

• Why moving to New York in 2008 was a well-timed decision

• The difference between a luxury brand and an expensive brand

• How Sarah moved from consumer products into startups and venture capitalism

• Why being a venture capitalist and entrepreneur is so difficult

• Sarah's views on bitcoin, trusting your instincts, and why regrets aren't worth having

• Why women tend to put things off (to their detriment)

• The reason Sarah started Cleo Capital: empowering women to help find deals to invest in

• Sarah's experience raising money

• Leading a balanced life: why Sarah's priorities shift as times and goals change

• Sarah's advice to women entrepreneurs on raising capital

• Why Sarah takes off one or two days at a time, rather than a week or two of leave at once

Links Mentioned in Today's Episode:

Sarah Kunst on LinkedIn

Cleo Capital

Pick Three: You Can Have It All (Just Not Every Day)

Potential to Powerhouse

Tracy Holland on Instagram

Fawn Weaver is an enterprising entrepreneur, CEO, and the founder of Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey, the fastest-growing American whiskey brand and African American-founded spirit of all time. She's also the CEO and founder of GSI, an investment company. A popular TED speaker and best-selling author, Fawn joins us to share pivotal moments in her life, including her decision to leave her home and family at age 15 and her experience launching into the whiskey business as a woman and person of color.

Tune in to our Potential to Powerhouse Season 2 launch episode to hear from Fawn as she sits down to chat with Tracy about her inspirational entrepreneurial journey, which has taken her from establishing herself as a business owner and CEO to launching a mega successful brand and landing book deals. Key Points From This Episode:

• Fawn describes embracing her personality and upbringing in her adult life and entrepreneurial journey
• Deciding to leave her home and family at age 15, bouncing from the projects to homeless shelters
• Fawn's career journey; starting from food serving and PR intern
• Fawn's pivot moment in 2003
• The journey from writing manuscripts to book deals
• Fawn's introduction to Jack Daniels and how it sparked her interest in the distillery business
• Launching into the whiskey business as a woman and person of color
• What Fawn's thinks the future in the distillery business looks like and advice for other women entrepreneurs
• As an entrepreneur and business owner, walk into a room and know you belong there. There is no reason to not have confidence in yourself and your abilities.
• Fawn has found that industries are more welcoming than most think for women and people of color, so be confident breaking in to them.

Links Mentioned in Today's Episode:

• Fawn Weaver on Instagram
• Uncle Nearest Website
• Fawn Weaver LinkedIn

CONNECTIONS:

For more about Fawn Weaver, follow her on Instagram. Also, be sure to check out unclenearest.com.

Check out our website, Potential to Powerhouse, for more details and to learn about past, present, and future guests. Be sure to follow us on Instagram and Twitter, and join our Facebook Community for a deeper connection with the P2P tribe.

Grab your free copy of our guide, 4 Daily Habits Essential to Becoming a POWERHOUSE Entrepreneur, and don't forget to subscribe to our show and leave a rating and review. Do you know any other female powerhouses that could benefit from listening? If so, please let them know to follow us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever they like to listen to valuable audio content.

Until next time… High Five!

Maria Quiban Whitesell is a powerhouse media weather anchor on Fox 11 news who has been a positive force on television for two decades. She built an award-winning reputation as a trusted go-to for weather and reporting on human interest stories and has developed a fan base that celebrates her bubbly personality on TV. While having to put a smile on her face every day in front of millions on LA's popular morning show, Good Day LA, no one had a clue the kind of personal toll she was taking on at home.

When on the home front in 2014, Maria Quiban Whitesell's husband Sean was diagnosed with a deadly form of brain cancer known as glioblastoma (GBM), she was completely unprepared. Her first thought was how could she possibly explain what was happening to their young son, Gus? How would she manage to say goodbye to the love of her life and, ultimately, live without him? In today's Potential to Powerhouse conversation, Maria speaks openly about her journey of finding hope and shining her light through grief after Sean's passing. Tuning in, you'll learn about the book she wrote describing her experience, titled You Can't Do It Alone: A Widow's Journey Through Loss, Grief, and Life After, in which she teams up with licensed therapist Lauren Schneider to provide readers with a roadmap for walking through illness, death, and grief. This is a heart-led conversation about love, resilience, and the understanding that everyone has their own challenges to overcome, despite how things may appear from the outside. Maria takes this opportunity to reach out to those who may be dealing with a traumatic loss to say, "You are not alone!" Make sure not to miss this tender-yet-powerful conversation with media powerhouse and author Maria Quiban Whitesell!

Key Points From This Episode:

• Insight into Maria's 25 years in 'infotainment' and what drew her to the weather.
• How she came to work for KTTV in Los Angeles and what she loves about being live.
• Hear the fateful story of how she met her late husband Sean Whitesell at a party.
• Find out why she and Sean broke up before getting back together; and married
• Some early signs something was wrong that Maria noticed prior to Sean's diagnosis.
• How she and Sean were blindsided by the news that he had glioblastoma.
• Why Maria believes that it was actually a blessing that Sean's GBM was inoperable.
• Part of Maria's purpose is to shine a light on this disease and attract funding for research.
• Advice she received from a nurse shortly after receiving Sean's diagnosis: Be strong.
• How Maria devoted herself to spending the time they had left making memories.
• Why she decided to title her book You Can't Do It Alone; the importance of support.
• What it was like to work with licensed therapist Lauren Schneider.
• Maria shares why she is such a strong advocate for professional mental health support.
• The crucial role that family support played and her advice to listeners: Find your village and share your story to gain support.
• The promise she made to Sean; that she and Gus would live their greatest lives possible.
• Maria shares where she is on her journey through grief and how she hopes her book will inspire and help readers.
• What this journey has taught her about herself: You are stronger than you think you are, one day at a time.

Links Mentioned in Today's Episode:

Maria Quiban Whitesell

Maria Quiban Whitesell on Twitter

Maria Quiban Whitesell on Instagram

Maria Quiban Whitesell on Facebook

You Can't Do It Alone

Paragon Performance Evolution

Link Strategy Group

HeartMath Institute

Potential to Powerhouse

Tracy Holland on Instagram

Surviving 11 days in a snowed-in car is an enormous feat in and of itself, but achieving what Jami Marseilles has after having both her legs amputated as a result of this harrowing ordeal is an entirely new level of powerhouse. Jami is a mother, a teacher, an author, and the first woman bilateral below-the-knee amputee to have completed a full marathon (and she's done two!). Everything she does is achieved with grace, positivity, and humor, and her skills as a teacher extend way beyond the classroom; every human being on the planet can learn invaluable lessons from Jami about the power of the mind, and how to turn a tragic experience into something miraculous. This episode will leave you feeling inspired to tackle any challenge that comes your way!

Key Points From This Episode:

• Jami describes what she was like as a child.
• The accident that changed Jami and her friend Lisa's life forever.
• Treatment that Jami receives post-accident, and how this differed from Lisa's treatment.
• How Jami and Lisa found ways to drink water during their 11-day ordeal.
• When Jami realized she was going to lose her legs and why she decided on the below-knee amputation.
• An experience Jami had in the hospital after her amputation that gave her a lot of her confidence back.
• What Jami gained from moving away from her hometown.
• How Jami was introduced to running and the profound impact it had on her.
• Jami's first full marathon experience and the people who inspired her to do it.
• The battle that Jami has been fighting for the past 5 years and what she has learned during this journey.
• Love that Jami has for her job and why she had to make the heartbreaking decision to leave.
• The book that Jami authored and why it didn't get the publicity it deserves.

Links Mentioned in Today's Episode:

Jami Marseilles

Engage

Warriors With Hope

The Four Agreements by Miguel Ruiz

The Untethered Soul by Michael Singer

Potential to Powerhouse

Tracy Holland on Instagram

Today on the podcast we have an amazing conversation with a truly inspiring guest to share with you! Fashion designer, business owner, and author. Cynthia Rowley has built an enviable career and life through hard work and dedication to her passion and practice. In our chat, we get to hear about the bigger picture and some of the finer details too. Cynthia talks about her early attraction to fashion, and desire to express herself in ways that she did not see in her small hometown in Illinois. We also get to discuss staying on the edge of fear and uncertainty, and why it is so vital to continue to explore the unknown. One of the main themes that comes through in this conversation, and in all of Cynthia's initiatives, is her authentic involvement and commitment to her brand and work; for her, the business has always been about more than just making money! So, to hear it all and catch a glimpse of a real-life unicorn, be sure to listen in with us!

Key Points From This Episode:

• An introduction to today's guest, Cynthia Rowley, and her background in fashion.
• Cynthia's childhood years in Illinois and her early trend towards mismatched fashion and creativity.
• Applying to art school and the move to New York after college.
• The aspirations of freedom and creativity that Cynthia had on arrival in New York.
• Growth in her company and the support that Cynthia received from her parents.
• The pivot that Cynthia and her company made away from stocking wholesalers.
• Growing into the role and identity of a designer.
• Cynthia's experiences of motherhood and how this impacted her life's trajectory.
• The importance that Cynthia places on living mindfully and in the present!
• Unpacking Cynthia's decision to use herself as the name and face of her brand.
• Expanding into authorship and a little about the books that Cynthia has written.
• Creating your own rewards and celebrating personal wins on a daily basis.
• Authentically bringing a vision to life through hard work and commitment.
• How Cynthia has been able to balance her creative passion with business acumen.
• Cynthia's passion for traveling and leaning into different experiences.
• A message from Cynthia about the rewards of hard work!

Links Mentioned in Today's Episode:

Cynthia Rowley

Swell: A Girl's Guide to the Good Life

Cynthia Rowley on Twitter

Potential to Powerhouse

Tracy Holland on Instagram

Leaders are oftentimes overwhelmed with information, resulting in increased stress levels and compromised performance. Many times, powerhouse women CEO's find themselves stressed out, suffering from lack of sleep, and a general feeling of being emotionally out of alignment.

The impacts of stress on the mind, body is being more deeply understood, as the root cause of many physical issues, including sleepless nights, irritability, and lack of focus on daily tasks. As an entrepreneur, Tracy found herself struggling with all of these issues at the end of 2019, after driving hard in her business for nine years as a CEO/Founder. She hit a wall, and realized that facing many of life's challenges, required a massive change, if she was going to remain at an optimal state. It was in a crucial moment, in late 2019, in which she started to investigate alternative methods to bring clarity and peace of mind to what felt like a daily grind. One of the most powerful techniques, was a science based heart and visualization practice called Heartmath, which is rooted in science and based on an important concept called heart coherence.

It was through the ultimate desire to find peace of mind, and clarity, that Tracy met and started working with today's guest is Jeff Benton, the Founder and CEO of Paragon Performance. Jeff is a Certified HeartMath Trainer. HeartMath is a tool and human technology that improves our overall emotional wellbeing, teaching us how to shift our heart rhythm patterns and create something known as physical coherence. Jeff explains that this physical coherence is a scientifically measurable state, characterized by increased order and harmony in our mind, emotions, and body. Jeff has always had a keen interest in human performance and the profound connection between our mental, spiritual, emotional, and physical health. In today's episode, he leads us through a live HeartMath session, sharing some of the techniques that will allow you to self-regulate your emotions and shift into a more optimal state on the path to self-mastery. This segment is not to be missed.

Key Points From This Episode:

• The teachings, tools, and techniques that HeartMath offers on the path to self-mastery.
• How Jeff trains special forces in HeartMath techniques for life or death situations.
• Jeff leads us through a live 10-minute HeartMath session; starting with finding a connection to something that brings you joy.
• Participate in a simple breathing exercise that connects you with your heartbeat.
• How alignment allows you to show up and be more powerful, successful and fulfilled.
• Tracy recommends using this recording to do a HeartMath session for the next seven days.
• Why Jeff believes the path to self-mastery is being able to self-regulate our emotions.
• The hormones associated with what Jeff calls depleting emotions and renewing emotions.

Links Mentioned in Today's Episode:

Jeff Benton on LinkedIn

Jeff Benton on Facebook

HeartMath Institute

Potential to Powerhouse

Tracy Holland on Instagram

Tune into today's episode to hear from two powerhouse women, Teddi Mellencamp and Dr. Amy Shah as they discuss their journey towards optimum health and wellness.

Teddi Mellencamp realized after the birth of her son Cruz, the weight she thought would disappear, didn't… Feeling inspired to make some big changes she began getting active and eating healthier. Her number one goal was to look after herself. Fast forward to 2021 where Teddi manages her ALL IN program consisting of 40 coaches which inspires others to hold themselves accountable for their actions and develop a healthier way of living.

Dr Amy Shah is a medical doctor and wellness expert specializing in allergy, immunology, hormones, and gut health. Her book "I'm So Effing Tired" is her first book. Amy has been named in the Top Doc list each year from 2016 to 2020 by Phoenix Magazine and has also been featured on National TV and magazines including Elle, People, Shape and Allure.

In This Episode:

• How does vulnerability lead to accountability?
• Why is creating boundaries the key to not only surviving but thriving?
• What role does the power of community play in reaching personal goals?
• Why is it important to share both our successes and our challenges with others?
• The complex relationship between our gut, our immune system, and our hormones.
• How does understanding this relationship allow us to regain our energy levels and reclaim our lives?
• Why is optimizing our health the path to clarity and realizing our full potential?

Key Takeaways:

• How to conquer burnout and naturally increase energy levels.
• Gain inspiration and insights to immediately implement a daily health, wellness, and accountability practice.
• Small steps to take every day to create big, long-lasting life changes.

CONNECTIONS:

For more on Teddi Mellencamp, follow her on Instagram and Twitter. Also, be sure to check out https://allinbyteddi.com/

For more on Amy Shah, follow her on Instagram and Twitter. Also, be sure to check out https://amymdwellness.com/

Check out our website, Potential to Powerhouse, for more details and to learn about past, present, and future guests. Be sure to follow us on Instagram and Twitter, and join our Facebook Community for a deeper connection with the P2P tribe.

Grab your free copy of our guide, 4 Daily Habits Essential to Becoming a POWERHOUSE Entrepreneur, and don't forget to subscribe to our show and leave a rating and review. Do you know any other female powerhouses that could benefit from listening? If so, please let them know to follow us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever they like to listen to valuable audio content.

Until next time… High Five!