Lanie Edwards turned a passion for storytelling into a YouTube channel with more than 95,000 subscribers, sharing her life with humor, creativity, and authenticity. Inspired by her entrepreneurial family, she later launched Cozier, a custom loungewear brand she grew from her Los Angeles apartment into a thriving business. Lanie shares how she built her YouTube audience, why she left a corporate job to bet on herself, and the challenges of scaling a small brand from scratch. She talks about finding her creative lane, balancing personal and business content online, and how building a loyal community has been key to her success. Her journey is proof that you can turn your passions into a sustainable career when you combine creativity, persistence, and a clear vision.

Chapters

00:00 Meet Lanie Edwards

03:10 Starting a YouTube Channel in High School

07:25 Building a Community of 95,000 Subscribers

11:40 Lessons from Life as a Content Creator

15:50 Leaving Corporate Life to Bet on Herself

20:05 Launching the Cozier Loungewear Brand

24:30 Growing a Small Business from an Apartment

28:45 Balancing Business and Personal Branding

33:10 Social Media Strategies That Build Loyalty

37:25 Lessons from an Entrepreneurial Family

41:00 Overcoming Self-Doubt and Taking Risks

45:20 Advice for Aspiring Creators and Founders

The Powerful Ladies podcast, hosted by business coach and strategist Kara Duffy features candid conversations with entrepreneurs, creatives, athletes, chefs, writers, scientists, and more. Every Wednesday, new episodes explore what it means to lead with purpose, create with intention, and define success on your own terms.

Whether you're growing a business, changing careers, or asking bigger questions, these stories remind you: you're not alone, and you're more powerful than you think.

Explore more at thepowerfulladies.com and karaduffy.com.

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Lauren Wilson is the founder and CEO of Dora Maar, a luxury fashion e-commerce platform redefining the consignment and resale market. By pairing high-end pieces with the stories of their original owners (the “muses”) she’s creating a shopping experience that’s as personal as it is luxurious.

With a career spanning Jimmy Choo, Armani, Elle, and Vogue, Lauren brings insider knowledge of the fashion world to her own venture. She shares how Dora Maar began with a team of four, how 2020 challenged her to rethink strategy, and why storytelling is the future of luxury retail. From navigating the fast pace of a startup in New York to building a brand that celebrates both style and sustainability, Lauren’s journey offers lessons for anyone ready to turn a big idea into a business.

Chapters

00:00 Meet Lauren Wilson

03:15 Early Career in Luxury Fashion

07:30 Internships at Jimmy Choo and Armani

11:40 Working in Celebrity Relations in LA

15:20 Moving to New York and Joining Elle

19:05 Lessons from Vogue and High-End Editorial

23:40 The Inspiration for Dora Maar

27:15 Launching with a Team of Four

31:00 How Storytelling Shapes the Shopping Experience

35:20 Navigating the 2020 Business Landscape

39:10 Building a Brand in the Luxury Resale Market

43:25 Sustainability and Conscious Consumerism

47:00 Advice for Aspiring Fashion Entrepreneurs

The Powerful Ladies podcast, hosted by business coach and strategist Kara Duffy features candid conversations with entrepreneurs, creatives, athletes, chefs, writers, scientists, and more. Every Wednesday, new episodes explore what it means to lead with purpose, create with intention, and define success on your own terms.

Whether you're growing a business, changing careers, or asking bigger questions, these stories remind you: you're not alone, and you're more powerful than you think.

Explore more at thepowerfulladies.com and karaduffy.com.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Elizabeth Haislip, better known as Pebby, is the founder of Pebby Forevee, a self-made apparel brand built from her Ohio basement into a thriving fashion empire. With designs that flatter every body type and make women feel confident from the moment they get dressed, she’s grown her business steadily over the past nine years without outside funding. Elizabeth shares how she started with just $40 in her bank account, the lessons she’s learned about scaling intentionally, and why it’s so important to create fashion that empowers women. She talks about making the path easier for those coming up behind her, the realities of entrepreneurship, and her best pro tips for building a business that lasts. Her journey proves you don’t need a huge investment to build something remarkable - just vision, persistence, and the will to keep going.

Chapters

00:00 Meet Elizabeth Haislip (Pebby)

02:38 How Pebby Forevee Began in a Basement

06:10 Starting a Business with $40

10:25 Creating Clothes That Flatter and Empower Women

14:40 Building a Brand That Inspires Confidence

19:20 Growing from Etsy to Shopify

23:45 Lessons from Nine Years of Steady Growth

28:50 Making the Path Easier for Future Entrepreneurs

33:15 Business Pro Tips for Sustained Success

37:30 Balancing Creativity and Business Strategy

42:00 The Importance of Living with Intention

46:15 Influences, Books, and Inspiration

50:20 Advice for Starting with Limited Resources

The Powerful Ladies podcast, hosted by business coach and strategist Kara Duffy features candid conversations with entrepreneurs, creatives, athletes, chefs, writers, scientists, and more. Every Wednesday, new episodes explore what it means to lead with purpose, create with intention, and define success on your own terms.

Whether you're growing a business, changing careers, or asking bigger questions, these stories remind you: you're not alone, and you're more powerful than you think.

Explore more at thepowerfulladies.com and karaduffy.com.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sharifah Hardie is a powerhouse. An entrepreneur, consultant, community activist, and the host of three talk shows. She’s dedicated to making real change in business, community, and beyond. From building her first website in 1994 to launching the Round Table Talk Show, Ask Sharifah Video Cast, and Face to Face Talk Show, she’s spent her career creating platforms for important conversations and practical solutions. Sharifah shares her journey from being laid off eight times to building her own businesses, why she believes most Americans are just one action away from change, and how she helps others level up their ventures. She talks about running for City Council, mentoring under inspiring leaders, and her belief that we have more in common than we think. Her story is a call to action for anyone ready to step up for what they believe in.

Chapters

00:00 Meet Sharifah Hardie

03:15 Building Her First Website in 1994

07:40 From Stay-at-Home Mom to Entrepreneur

11:20 Being Laid Off Eight Times and Starting Fresh

15:30 Creating Ask Sharifah to Answer Growing Demand

19:15 Launching the First Radio Show in 2009

23:30 Running for City Council and Lessons Learned

27:50 Creating the Round Table Talk Show

32:10 Expanding to Ask Sharifah Video Cast and Face to Face Talk Show

36:25 Lessons from Mentors Like Belinda Baker

40:15 The Connection Between Service and Success

44:00 Why Change Starts with a Conversation

48:30 Advice for Entrepreneurs and Community Leaders

The Powerful Ladies podcast, hosted by business coach and strategist Kara Duffy features candid conversations with entrepreneurs, creatives, athletes, chefs, writers, scientists, and more. Every Wednesday, new episodes explore what it means to lead with purpose, create with intention, and define success on your own terms.

Whether you're growing a business, changing careers, or asking bigger questions, these stories remind you: you're not alone, and you're more powerful than you think.

Explore more at thepowerfulladies.com and karaduffy.com.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This is the live, unedited recording from the first half of our roundtable, A Powerful Conversation About America: Racism Episode 3.  It’s been a month since Episode 1, so we’re asking our panelists “Has Anything Changed”.  This conversation took place on October 2nd, 2020 featuring Sharifah Hardie, Mikelle Drew, Chandra Gore, Kristen Fenrick and Lauren Wilson. We encourage and invite you to share this episode with everyone who needs to hear it. 

The Powerful Ladies podcast, hosted by business coach and strategist Kara Duffy features candid conversations with entrepreneurs, creatives, athletes, chefs, writers, scientists, and more. Every Wednesday, new episodes explore what it means to lead with purpose, create with intention, and define success on your own terms.

Whether you're growing a business, changing careers, or asking bigger questions, these stories remind you: you're not alone, and you're more powerful than you think.

Explore more at thepowerfulladies.com and karaduffy.com.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Chisa Pennix-Brown is the founder of the business education and business consulting group Lady Bizness, The Black Biz Group and the Executive Director of Real Glow Getters.  On this episode, Kara and Chisa discuss the common business mistakes people are making and how to stop and fix them, how she started her business, and why it matters for your success to show up and show out.

The Powerful Ladies podcast, hosted by business coach and strategist Kara Duffy features candid conversations with entrepreneurs, creatives, athletes, chefs, writers, scientists, and more. Every Wednesday, new episodes explore what it means to lead with purpose, create with intention, and define success on your own terms.

Whether you're growing a business, changing careers, or asking bigger questions, these stories remind you: you're not alone, and you're more powerful than you think.

Explore more at thepowerfulladies.com and karaduffy.com.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jen Berson is the founder and president of Jeneration PR, an award-winning Los Angeles-based agency specializing in baby, kids, beauty, cosmetics, health, and wellness brands. After leaving a career in law, she built one of the top PR agencies in the world over 15 years. Now she’s helping others do the same through Profitable PR Pros, her coaching and online education platform for PR professionals.

Jen shares how she made the leap from practicing law to running her own business, the systems that allow her to lead while raising two sons, and the importance of finding your “zone of genius.” She talks about what it takes to build a PR agency from scratch, the common mistakes to avoid, and why she believes in paying her success forward to the next generation of PR leaders. Her journey proves that the right mix of courage, focus, and strategic thinking can open the door to a career and life you truly design.

Chapters

00:00 Meet Jen Berson

03:20 Growing Up in California and Early Ambitions

07:15 From College in Santa Barbara to USC Law School

11:40 Practicing Law and Realizing It Wasn’t Her Path

15:30 Making the Leap into PR

19:10 Founding Jeneration PR

23:25 Specializing in Baby, Kids, Beauty, and Wellness Brands

27:50 Building a Business While Raising Two Sons

32:15 Systems and Strategies for Agency Growth

36:30 The Power of Finding Your Zone of Genius

40:05 Launching Profitable PR Pros

44:20 Common Mistakes PR Professionals Make

48:00 Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs and PR Leaders

The Powerful Ladies podcast, hosted by business coach and strategist Kara Duffy features candid conversations with entrepreneurs, creatives, athletes, chefs, writers, scientists, and more. Every Wednesday, new episodes explore what it means to lead with purpose, create with intention, and define success on your own terms.

Whether you're growing a business, changing careers, or asking bigger questions, these stories remind you: you're not alone, and you're more powerful than you think.

Explore more at thepowerfulladies.com and karaduffy.com.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Keren Moynihan is the co-founder of Boss Insights, a financial tech service company that provides back office systems that bridge the gap between banks and small businesses.  Essentially making it easier to bank and get loans as a small business.  Yes, please! In this episode we discuss why finances and banking can be so frustrating for a small business, how it can be improved and why it’s actually in the best interest of the banks to do so. Plus why relationships are the most important part of any business. 

The Powerful Ladies podcast, hosted by business coach and strategist Kara Duffy features candid conversations with entrepreneurs, creatives, athletes, chefs, writers, scientists, and more. Every Wednesday, new episodes explore what it means to lead with purpose, create with intention, and define success on your own terms.

Whether you're growing a business, changing careers, or asking bigger questions, these stories remind you: you're not alone, and you're more powerful than you think.

Explore more at thepowerfulladies.com and karaduffy.com.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Chandra Gore is a lifelong serial entrepreneur with businesses across industries, from consulting and media production to radio and comedy festivals. She’s also an activist dedicated to creating change at the local level, whether it’s registering voters or speaking up at school board meetings. Her mission is to merge business success with community impact. Chandra shares her journey from starting businesses at 18 to running five companies today, why structure is essential even when life feels chaotic, and how she uses her voice to create meaningful change. She offers candid insights into the realities of entrepreneurship, the importance of having a plan in activism, and why she believes you already have the “secret sauce” to succeed. Her story is proof that you can design a life that reflects every passion and priority you care about.

Chapters

00:00 Meet Chandra Gore

03:15 Growing Up with an Entrepreneur Father

07:40 Launching Her First Business at 18

11:20 Lessons from 20+ Years in Entrepreneurship

15:30 Balancing Five Businesses and Family Life

19:15 Why Local Activism Matters

23:30 Creating the Greater Northern Virginia Comedy & Film Festival

27:50 Structure as the Key to Managing ADHD and Bipolar Disorder

32:10 Using Your Voice for Change

36:40 Cleaning House and Refocusing Priorities

40:15 How Activism and Business Fuel Each Other

44:30 Books That Influence Her Thinking

48:10 Advice for Entrepreneurs Who Want to Make an Impact

The Powerful Ladies podcast, hosted by business coach and strategist Kara Duffy features candid conversations with entrepreneurs, creatives, athletes, chefs, writers, scientists, and more. Every Wednesday, new episodes explore what it means to lead with purpose, create with intention, and define success on your own terms.

Whether you're growing a business, changing careers, or asking bigger questions, these stories remind you: you're not alone, and you're more powerful than you think.

Explore more at thepowerfulladies.com and karaduffy.com.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Elana Carroll, known on stage as Party Nails, is a musician, producer, and music educator making her mark in the indie pop scene. From her roots in upstate New York to performing on stages across the country, she’s built a career that blends artistry, entrepreneurship, and connection with fans. Elana shares how she went from playing viola in fourth grade to producing music in college, the leap from managing a web design studio to touring full-time, and the inspiration behind the name Party Nails. She opens up about the realities of making a living as a musician, why entrepreneurship is part of the gig, and the artists who have shaped her sound. Her story proves that following your calling, and daring to define your own success, can lead to a life on your own terms.

Chapters

00:00 Meet Elana Carroll aka Party Nails

03:40 Growing Up in Upstate New York

07:15 Learning Viola and Guitar at a Young Age

11:50 Discovering Music Production in College

15:30 Moving to NYC and Life After Graduation

19:20 Managing a Web Design Studio Before Music Full-Time

23:10 The Story Behind the Name Party Nails

27:45 Building a Career as an Indie Pop Artist

31:20 Balancing Artistry with Entrepreneurship

35:40 Touring and Connecting with Fans

39:15 Influences from Robyn to Karen O

43:50 Advice for Aspiring Musicians and Creators

The Powerful Ladies podcast, hosted by business coach and strategist Kara Duffy features candid conversations with entrepreneurs, creatives, athletes, chefs, writers, scientists, and more. Every Wednesday, new episodes explore what it means to lead with purpose, create with intention, and define success on your own terms.

Whether you're growing a business, changing careers, or asking bigger questions, these stories remind you: you're not alone, and you're more powerful than you think.

Explore more at thepowerfulladies.com and karaduffy.com.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices