powherfull inc startup stories

Building a Business With Heart, Humility & Holy Grit

In this episode of Startup Stories, I sit down with the brilliant and quietly powerful Arielle Loupos, founder of Flower Girl—a sustainable, natural-fiber period underwear brand crafted for real women who want comfort, dignity, and an eco-friendly choice that actually works.

What began as a personal frustration turned into a two-year research-and-development journey where Arielle refused to compromise on quality, women’s health, or ethics. She takes us behind the curtain of what it really looks like to grow a physical product business today—small-batch U.S. manufacturing, managing inventory by hand, navigating cash flow, resisting the pressure to mass-produce overseas, and learning to trust her pace in a world obsessed with speed.

We talk visibility, networking, organic marketing, and the courage to experiment with new platforms without losing your soul in the algorithm. And we go deep on the personal work required to build something beautiful: releasing timelines, separating your identity from your brand, learning flexibility, and letting entrepreneurship expand you from the inside out.

Arielle also shares her future vision—growing a small, mighty team, expanding into wholesale and affiliate channels, and building Flower Girl into a full apparel brand that honors comfort, sustainability, and craftsmanship.

This conversation is for the woman who is building slowly, intentionally, and with integrity… the woman who wants to grow a business she’s proud of without burning herself down to do it.

Arielle reminds us that sometimes the most sustainable thing we can build is ourselves.

Tune in and be encouraged. 🌿

https://www.instagram.com/arielleloupos

https://www.linkedin.com/in/arielle-loupos

https://canvasrebel.com/meet-arielle-loupos/

**

To stay in the game for the long haul and learn from my heart to yours on how I manage my business, showing up to serve in a way that works for me, and is simple enough to manage among a job, kids and a happy life join me in The StartUp Club!

The StartUp Club is where conversations like this turn into clarity, courage, and real momentum.

It’s my monthly community for everyday ambitious women who want support, strategy, and sisterhood as they build their business — without the overwhelm or isolation.

If you’re craving connection, accountability, and a space that actually moves you forward, this is your sign.

Join us inside StartUp School — your next level begins the moment you step in.

www.powherfullinc.com/challenge-page/thestartupclub

If an episode moved you, please leave a review / subscribe and share an episode with someone to help with getting this voice out there. And come hang out with in between episodes at:

• www.facebook.com/powherfullinc
• www.instagram.com/powherfullinc
• www.facebook.com/groups/everydaywomansummit

I would love to HEAR from you, what shift did you feel from this episode? Send me a voice note!

From Corporate Pressure to Confident Creator

In this honest and deeply relatable conversation, Nancy Garfinkel invites us behind the scenes of her entrepreneurial journey — the messy, the brave, the unexpected, and the transformative.

We open with a week that tested every ounce of her resilience: firing a virtual assistant right before Black Friday and scrambling to rescue her launch with the help of a friend. It’s the kind of moment every business-building woman recognizes — when things fall apart, and somehow, we rise.

Nancy then shares the turning point that changed everything: leaving a corporate healthcare job marked by micromanagement, pressure, and a loss of self. That breaking point led her into real estate investing, coaching, and ultimately discovering a calling — helping women who carry too much learn how to execute with clarity and intention.

Out of her own lived experience, she created Execution Wins — a simple, powerful system for women who don’t need more to-do lists… they need a framework that actually works for real life.

We also dive into Nancy’s bold and beautiful vision for the future: a 2026 Ignite Summit series focused on health, wealth, and personal growth — a space where everyday women can learn, connect, and rise together. It starts in January, friend on her Facebook for more info!

https://www.facebook.com/nancy.garfinkeleller

As we move through her entrepreneurial journey, Nancy shares one of the most inspiring parts of her story: how entrepreneurship has helped her reclaim her time, her energy, her identity, and even her body. Since leaving corporate, she has lost 75 pounds — not from chasing achievement, but from choosing alignment, awareness, and purpose.

This episode is for every woman standing at the edge of change.

Every woman who knows something needs to shift.

Every woman ready to trust herself again.

Tune in, take a breath, and remember: your next version already lives inside you — one decision, one system, one brave moment at a time.

***

To stay in the game for the long haul and learn from my heart to yours on how I manage my business, showing up to serve in a way that works for me, and is simple enough to manage among a job, kids and a happy life join me in The StartUp Club!

The StartUp Club is where conversations like this turn into clarity, courage, and real momentum.

It’s my monthly community for everyday ambitious women who want support, strategy, and sisterhood as they build their business — without the overwhelm or isolation.

If you’re craving connection, accountability, and a space that actually moves you forward, this is your sign.

Join us inside StartUp School — your next level begins the moment you step in.

www.powherfullinc.com/challenge-page/thestartupclub

If an episode moved you, please leave a review / subscribe and share an episode with someone to help with getting this voice out there. And come hang out with in between episodes at:

• www.facebook.com/powherfullinc
• www.instagram.com/powherfullinc
• www.facebook.com/groups/everydaywomansummit

I would love to HEAR from you, what shift did you feel from this episode? Send me a voice note!

Shannon's journey began around 17 years ago. Ladies, take a breath, IT WILL COME TO FRUITION. Surrender to the timing, stop trying to force it into reality. Your business is a living entity and you will reap the benefits, in good time.

In this episode, I sit down with Shannon Coulter, a woman on a mission to help families break free from screen overwhelm and reconnect with the real world. Shannon’s journey started in her own backyard, watching her stepchildren struggle to play outside for more than five minutes. That moment cracked something open in her — and it’s been fuelling her purpose ever since.

We dive into the science of screen addiction (yes, it’s engineered), how technology rewires our brains, and what it’s doing to kids’ imagination, attention, relationships, and nervous systems. Shannon breaks it down in a way that’s eye-opening but also empowering — because awareness gives you choices.

We also talk about her entrepreneurial journey: the first idea that didn’t land, the heartbreak and humility of starting over, and the courage it takes to try again when the dream matters. Shannon shares the lessons she learned about listening, market research, faith, and tuning out the voices — even when some of those voices belonged to family.

This episode also honours something deeply important: the value of stay-at-home parenting, the gift of being present with your kids, and why we need more community, more connection, and more real-life human support in a world that’s becoming increasingly isolated.

If you’ve ever questioned your own screen habits, worried about your kids’ tech use, or felt called to create change in your corner of the world, this conversation will meet you where you are and lift you up.

Shannon is full of light, conviction, and heart — and I cannot wait for you to hear her story.

Find all things Shannon at https://linktr.ee/sscoulter

I would love to HEAR from you, what shift did you feel from this episode? Send me a voice note!

From Performing to Embodied Leadership with Aleksandra Plazinic

In this episode, I’m joined by the fabulous Aleksandra Plazinic — a woman who has reinvented herself again and again, moving from performance-driven corporate expectations to becoming a deeply embodied leader who helps women own their voice, their worth, and their power.

Aleksandra is a global communication coach, speaker, and lecturer with a PhD in Strategic Management and a résumé that includes the United Nations, the European Commission, and top business schools across Europe. But what makes her story so compelling is the inner journey she took to get here — the shift from striving and proving to leading with clarity, confidence, and a grounded sense of self.

We talk about what it really looks like to choose your identity on purpose, to stop chasing achievement as validation, and to disrupt the patterns that keep us shrinking instead of standing tall. Aleksandra’s holistic blend of NLP, emotional healing, and practical communication skills helps executive women — especially in male-dominated industries like tech and engineering — move from “Am I enough?” to “I was born for this.”

If you’ve ever struggled with imposter syndrome, hesitated to take the mic, or felt the tug between who you’ve been and who you’re becoming, this conversation is going to land so deeply. Aleksandra holds such powerful space for women to rise, and her story is a reminder that confidence isn’t built by performing — it’s built by coming home to yourself.

Tune in for a conversation full of truth, identity work, and that beautiful female grit. 🎤✨

FREEBIE https://mailchi.mp/bd941fc15c82/welcome-freebie

Website: aplazinic.com

Email: [email protected]

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aplazinic

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aleksandraplazinic.phd/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aleksandra-plazinic-phd/

I would love to HEAR from you, what shift did you feel from this episode? Send me a voice note!

This conversation is all about big vision, brave leadership, and the reality of what it takes to build something that doesn’t exist yet.

My guest, Kristina Scaglione, LCSW-R, is the founder of Root & Rise and Limitless Integrative Wellness, two interconnected ventures redefining what holistic care looks like. Her model brings therapists, coaches, and wellness practitioners together under one roof — not as employees, but as collaborators — creating a true ecosystem of care where clients are supported as whole people.

But what makes Kristina’s story so powerful isn’t just the innovation of her model — it’s the heart, responsibility, and sheer determination she’s carrying as one woman funding and leading this movement forward. She’s not just building a business; she’s building a foundation that could ripple out across the country, with a vision to establish Limitless centers in communities everywhere.

In this episode, we talk about the cost — emotional, financial, and personal — of pioneering something new, what it means to hold a big vision while staying grounded in service, and how Kristina continues to lead with integrity and courage through it all.

If you’ve ever felt called to build something bigger than yourself, this episode will speak right to your spirit.

https://www.instagram.com/limitless_integrative_wellness/

https://www.instagram.com/rootandrisecs/

https://www.instagram.com/kscaglionetherapy/

limitlessintegrativewellness.com

I would love to HEAR from you, what shift did you feel from this episode? Send me a voice note!

Raised tough, lived wild, and rebuilt from the ground up, Sue brings real talk, deep heart, and a no-fluff approach to personal transformation. Based outside Seattle with her horse Moose and two mini Dachshunds, she’s here to help you stop surviving and start showing up for your life.

We hit it off instantly and one of the characteristics I love most about Sue is her detachment to outcome - TRY the thing, give it all you got and see where it takes you because there is ALWAYS something to gain. But you need an open mind and heart to receive it. This laid back and highly intentional approach is super bad-ass, it's like "Hey Life, Let's see what we can do shall we! Bring it!"

She is empowered and built on self trust - that you will evolve no matter what happens. Which makes this episode grounding and expansive — a reminder that our entrepreneurial paths are rarely straight, but they’re always leading us somewhere deeper if we’re brave enough to follow.

Sue’s story is such a beautiful reminder that our purpose often lives inside the things we’ve loved all along. From finding sanctuary with horses as a child to building a 60-year relationship with them through massage, training, and now Equus Coaching, Sue’s journey is all about healing, growth, and coming home to yourself.

We talk about her growth in real estate, to coaching, to other “side hustle” experiments (yes, including a dog treat company!), and what it really takes to follow curiosity over comfort. Her work with horses invites women — especially those 40 and beyond — to live unapologetically, boldly, and with presence. Moose, her business partner, reads your energy and body language, showing Sue where you need a shift, a crack, a release. An incredibly powerful methodology for deep healing and transformation. If you have ever had a relationship with a horse, you will know what we mean. They are truly spiritual animals.

“Our bodies hold every experience that we’ve ever had, that’s what the horses are seeing and feeling and becoming part of.”

Another friendship born from the podcast ladies, where the seed has been planted to host a retreat together!!! See you there!

Web: ⁠https://www.willoughbycoaching.com/⁠⁠

Insta: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/sue_willoughby/⁠⁠

FB: ⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/willoughbycoaching/⁠⁠

LI: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/suewilloughby/

YT: https://www.youtube.com/@SueWilloughby

Podcast: https://www.midlifebadasswomen.com/

I would love to HEAR from you, what shift did you feel from this episode? Send me a voice note!

Building Capacity & Friendship with the Budget Besties — Shana & Vanessa

This episode is a FIRST for startup stories, a DOUBLE interview!!!! AND it's two women in business together. Best friends first who became business partners later. My whole heart right here ladies!

Shana & Vanessa met through their kids (boys). They both knew they had an entrepreneurial spirit and tried different things but it was David Ramsey's program that they realized they could and wanted to do business together.

What I really take away from episode though, is CAPACITY. Their product - The Simplified Budget System - demonstrates capacity. How much debt can you pay while covering the mortgage and volleyball fees?

Their business demonstrates their capacity - family + faith first, working 9 am to 3 pm at 4 days a week means they have built what they want to handle and what they can handle.

They were HUMBLED at first, when the kids were younger (college age now and 6 years in business). They were trying to do and be too many things. Through those lessons, they let go, got focused and are now in their flow zone of genius. It's obvious how much they love their work, and the impact it makes in people's lives.

It's also obvious how running a business with your best friend is amazing, helpful and MORE FUN. Shana and Vanessa are a beautiful example of what can happens when friendship, purpose, and business collide—in the best possible way. 💕

They didn’t set out to build an empire (though they are doing just fine). They set out to build capacity—space for their dreams, for their families, and for other women to breathe easier around money.

Together they brought those values into they financial systems. Simplicity, presence, and peace.

In this conversation, we go beyond money talk. We explore what it means to grow a business that fits within your capacity, how to make peace with “enough,” and the beauty of building alongside someone who truly gets you. Shana and Vanessa’s partnership is proof that collaboration, when rooted in friendship and faith, can be one of the most sustainable business models there is.

✨ Expect laughter, honesty, and wisdom on building from the heart—at a pace that honours your life.

Follow them at:

www.facebook.com/MyBudgetBesties/

https://budgetbesties.com/ (Grab their workshop, they are funny and practical!)

I would love to HEAR from you, what shift did you feel from this episode? Send me a voice note!

Ok Friends, Mary & I have developed a "schtick" right out of the gate. SHE SENT ME A ..... COLD DM!!!!!

The dreaded, the disgusted, the awful oh no!!!! hahaha. WELLLLL we are a new portal to rewriting that tired old perspective. Instead let's look at it as this - Mary is bold, convicted and excited about her business and wants to share her message with others.

She is making moves, taking action and not worried about people's judgement. And in doing so, we made an incredible new connection where I immediately absorbed her into my vortex because God said "reply" to her cold DM.

Mary and I are so aligned. She has a heart for mama's in business, getting them clear, confident and believing in themselves and their dreams. Amid the kids, the chaos, the tired and the job etc. She is living it too. She works from home, has 3 kids and all the responsibilities.

And she is showing up for herself none the less. No excuses. Action, connection, earnest conversations. You do not have to have it all together or figured out in order to create a beautiful life, everyday.

We cross interviewed each for this episode we can both use it on our podcasts, so you get to hear a bit more from me too.

Lean in and listen - you will feel at home with us!! Then reach out to Mary or I to get your gorgeous butt into action!!! We will help you!!!!

Mary can be followed / found / loved at:

https://marydibblecoaching.com/

https://www.facebook.com/marydibblecoaching/

https://www.instagram.com/marydcoaching

She got absorbed into The Everyday Woman Summit #3: Where Woman Gather

Join us for that free event, Nov 14, 15 + 16/25 through the FB Group:

www.facebook.com/groups/everydaywomansummit

She's a keeper, and so are you!

I would love to HEAR from you, what shift did you feel from this episode? Send me a voice note!

What does it look like to grow up with technology in your hands, build a company from scratch at 19, and lead it through the ups and downs of a changing world for over 15 years?

In this powerful conversation, Oksana Kovalchuk takes us inside her journey from a little girl coding at age five to becoming the founder of ANODA, a UX (user experience - how people interact with software) design company that has weathered industry shifts, global crises, and the relentless pace of tech innovation.

Oksana doesn’t sugarcoat the challenges of entrepreneurship—navigating responsibility for employees, surviving the pandemic, and learning the hard way that “overnight success” is a myth. But she also reveals the strengths that women naturally bring to the table: adaptability, resilience, and the ability to find calm in chaos.

From designing intuitive digital experiences that connect people across cultures to diversifying income streams to future-proof her business, Oksana shares wisdom every startup founder needs. She also opens up about her next big vision: connecting micro-SaaS founders with investors and stepping into new co-founder and CTO roles.

If you’ve ever felt the pressure of building something that lasts—or wondered how to stay grounded while pursuing innovation—this episode will inspire you to keep going, trust your adaptability, and embrace the long game of entrepreneurship.

🎧 Listen now to hear Oksana’s story of resilience, design, and the soul of building businesses that endure.

You can follow Oksana at:

www.linkedin.com/in/oksanakovalchuk

www.anoda.mobi/

I would love to HEAR from you, what shift did you feel from this episode? Send me a voice note!

Let me tell you about Brit Nicole y'all!

There is building a business with effort, which yes can lead to success ($20k in one month) BUT if it is done in a counterfeit way, it doesn't last. What does counterfeit mean? Coming from a place of proving, of pushing, of ego.... Instead of soul lead, God given, purposeFULL and personal.

This incredible woman has been through it all, she left an abusive marriage as a young woman, built and sold a digital marketing business before age 30, built a photography business that was attacked and left in an expensive lawsuit.... And through it all Brit was seeking her identity.

Who am I if not a wife?

Who am I if not an entrepreneur?

Who am I if I am not earning money as my own boss.....and so on....

I will tell you who she is and you will hear it in this episode. Because we barely talk about her current business (though we need to because WOW - The Unstoppable SheEO). We talk about her heart and soul. We talk about the ugly messy hard finding of identity. We talk about navigating and seeking growth when we can barely get out of bed. We weep, we laugh and I bonded with this woman in ways that are still blowing my mind, so praise the Lord for this new connection.

Come listen, feel heard and know that your story isn't over yet. In fact, it's just beginning. Because the hard is the way to the GOLD.

https://www.instagram.com/its.brit.nicole/

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61559848704155

https://britnicole.com/

https://britnicole.com/podcast

I would love to HEAR from you, what shift did you feel from this episode? Send me a voice note!