Julie is the bubbly, energetic co-founder and Chief Marketing Officer of The Modern Pop, a Laguna Beach based frozen fruit bar company.  A New York transplant, she started the company with her husband after making healthy frozen treat options in her kitchen for her son. On this episode she shares what she loves about the business she founded, what it looks like to be fearless in making new connections and life an entrepreneur mom.

Rachel Rivera and Claire Ouchi didn’t just start a business. They built a creative playground. As co-founders of The WKNDRS, an art and design lifestyle brand, they’ve turned their friendship into a thriving collaboration that’s equal parts work and play. From their first venture selling vintage clothing to partnering with artists and brands they love, Rachel and Claire have made joy a business priority. We talk about finding the right creative partner, building community, and why the best work comes when you’re having fun.

Chapters:

00:00 Meet Rachel & Claire of The WKNDRS

01:20 From Alberta to Vancouver: Their creative path

03:15 How friendship became a business partnership

05:05 Lessons from their first vintage clothing business

07:30 Launching The WKNDRS art and design brand

09:50 Collaborating with artists and favorite brands

12:10 Why fun is essential to their creative process

14:20 The role of community in building a business

16:15 Balancing work and personal life as entrepreneurs

18:30 Overcoming creative and business challenges

21:00 Advice for finding the right creative partner

23:15 Building a brand with personality and heart

25:00 Designing a business around your values

27:15 Their favorite projects and collaborations so far

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

Rachel and Claire are artists, designers and entrepreneurs based in Vancouver, Canada. They’ve been friends since college and their first business together was a vintage clothing shop.  Today they are equal artists and entrepreneurs behind the WKNDRS an Art & design lifestyle brand - which is super lighthearted & where they express their fun side and get to collaborate with their favorite artists and brands. On this episode we discuss the value of having a creative partner, what it means to build a creative community around you, and why having fun should always be a priority.

Andrea Spinelli has spent her life asking “why” and refusing to accept injustice as the status quo. From protesting the Vietnam War to walking in the 2017 NYC Women’s March with her walker, her commitment to speaking up has never wavered. As the founder of Studio 27, she’s built a decades-long career in writing, producing, and filmmaking - all while navigating personal loss, sexism in the workplace, and the ever-changing landscape of media. In this conversation, Andrea shares how her curiosity became a lifelong compass, the role of powerful women in her family, and why boldness is the key to making big things happen.

Chapters:

00:00 Growing up with big influences and bigger questions

01:25 The dinner table as a training ground for activism

03:10 Early signs of a storyteller

05:45 From college newspaper editor to Vietnam War protestor

08:15 Breaking into film and commercial production

11:00 The cost of speaking up in a male-dominated industry

14:20 Starting Studio 27 in 1973

17:35 Losing her husband and finding the strength to keep going

21:15 Working with Xerox and big corporate clients

24:40 Protesting with a walker at the 2017 Women’s March

27:15 Lessons from the women’s movement over decades

30:25 How to keep powerful women in your circle

33:10 Building family legacies through documentaries

36:00 The quote that guides her life

38:20 Advice for staying bold and curious

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

Andrea Spinelli is a storyteller who has used her gift of writing, producing, researching, being curious and making people feel comfortable to create commercials, documentaries, films and events.  She’s been an entrepreneur since 1973 when she founded Studio 27. Since then she’s learned how to survive loss, the pressures of taking care of a family, and overcome decades of sexism in the corporate world. She’s also my great aunt and one of the first Powerful Ladies I ever got to meet. On this episode she shares when she first started to campaign against injustice, the women’s movement through the decades of her life, and where she’s found her strength to keep going.

Morena Duwe has built a career telling stories that transport you. From the front row of the world’s biggest music festivals to deeply reported features on culture, travel, and lifestyle. A writer and journalist whose work has appeared in Vice, LA Weekly, HuffPost, and more, she’s proof that persistence, curiosity, and a clear voice can open unexpected doors. She talks about navigating the changing media landscape, why she chased stories others overlooked, and the leap of faith it took to leave a “safe” job for freelance life. We get into what makes a great pitch, how she builds trust with sources, and the role of curiosity in finding your own voice as a creative.

Chapters:

00:00 Starting out in journalism

02:15 Early assignments and first by-lines

04:30 Covering music festivals worldwide

07:00 Building a freelance portfolio

09:15 Breaking into Vice and LA Weekly

11:45 Shifts in the journalism industry

14:10 The power of curiosity over passion

16:45 How to pitch stories editors want

19:30 Balancing lifestyle writing with investigative work

22:00 Lessons from working in travel media

24:30 Creative risks that paid off

27:15 Managing the business side of freelance work

29:45 Staying inspired in a changing media landscape

32:00 Advice for aspiring writers and journalists

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

Morena Duwe is a writer and journalist. She’s written for publications such as LA Weekly, SF Weekly, OC Weekly, Mix Mag, DJ Mag, Huffington Post, and UpRoxx. Her partner, Miles, is a photographer and for the past couple of years, they’ve had the privilege to travel the world covering music festivals as a team.  On this episode we talk about how journalism is changing, how to find your voice, and what it looks like to make the hard choices and follow your own unique path.

Rachael Lee Sortor has built a life where grit meets grace. A neonatal ICU flight nurse and lifelong rock climber, she’s faced high-stakes challenges both on the job and on the side of a cliff. When a video of her 8-month-old daughter Ellie climbing at their local rock gym went viral, everything changed, Ellen Show appearance included. In this conversation, we get into her journey from competitive climbing to the NICU, what it takes to trust your intuition, and how adventure shapes resilience. She opens up about balancing family life with a demanding career, chasing mastery without losing humility, and raising a daughter who’s fearless in the best way possible.

Chapters:

00:00 Becoming a neonatal ICU flight nurse

01:15 Growing up as a competitive rock climber

03:10 Ellie’s first climb at eight months old

05:05 The viral video that changed everything

07:20 Life after an Ellen Show appearance

09:45 Building a home climbing wall

12:00 Balancing motherhood and high-pressure work

14:30 Lessons from travel nursing and living in an Airstream

17:00 Minimalism, movement, and choosing adventure

19:15 Trusting your intuition on and off the wall

21:40 Staying humble while chasing mastery

24:10 Outdoor adventures that keep her grounded

26:45 Raising a fearless daughter

29:15 How climbing teaches resilience

31:00 Advice for starting your own climbing journey

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

Katie Hajec knows that strong teams don’t happen by accident. They’re built with intention from day one. As Director of Talent & Culture for LA startup Create Tribe, she’s on a mission to create workplaces where people can grow, contribute, and actually enjoy coming to work. From hiring the right people to shaping culture, Katie blends HR expertise with a deep commitment to human development. In this conversation, we get into the shifts happening in the HR world, the mindset leaders need to keep their teams motivated, and why core values matter more than ever. We also talk about the practical side of building culture — from interview questions that actually work to avoiding burnout as a leader.

Chapters

00:00 Meet Katie Hajec and Create Tribe

01:12 From Reno to leading in Los Angeles

03:00 What “Talent & Culture” means today

05:20 Why hiring the right people is step one

07:15 Building employee experience from scratch

09:40 The shift from traditional HR to human development

12:00 Radical candor and better communication at work

14:15 Avoiding burnout while leading a team

16:30 The three to five things leaders should focus on daily

18:40 Balancing startup demands with employee well-being

21:00 Why core values are a leader’s greatest tool

23:15 How to create a culture of trust and accountability

25:30 Interview questions that reveal the real fit

27:45 Advice for anyone stepping into a leadership role

30:00 Katie’s vision for the future of work

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