SAYge Real Stories

Danika Khong and Elizabeth Wu are the co-founders of Seismic, an HR tech platform transforming skills-based hiring for STEM professionals. Frustrated by the disconnect between academia and industry, they built a solution to empower job seekers to find better career paths and companies to have a better talent pipeline. With backgrounds in research and biotech, they turned their real world experiences in the problem space into a scalable business, securing over $1M in funding through investments and an NIH grant.

Beyond building an innovative hiring platform, Danika and Elizabeth have also mastered the art of co-founder partnerships—leveraging complementary strengths, maintaining open communication, and figuring out how to navigate even the most challenging days together. In this episode, they share insights on taking risks, securing funding, and what it takes to grow a mission-driven HR tech startup while sustaining a strong co-founder (and work-life) dynamic.

Juliette Blake is the founder of Moxies, a gamified social platform designed to help girls build digital literacy and confidence in a safe online environment. A two-time founder and mom of three, Juliette launched her first business, Miss O and Friends, in high school and grew it into a globally recognized brand for girls. She shares her candid journey of pivoting during the pandemic, navigating challenges of fundraising as a non-technical female founder, sifting through good (and bad) advice and balancing founder life as a mom of three. Her insights offer invaluable lessons on resilience and steadfast purpose. Whether you’re a founder on the rollercoaster or simply are inspired by stories of women solving big problems, this episode is a must-listen.

Learn more about Moxies here.

Connect with Juliette and other incredible female founders each week by joining the SAYge Real Female Founders community!

Tara Gilvar, founder of Believe, Inspire, Grow (B.I.G), turned a single email into a global women’s network with chapters spanning the East Coast and Europe . After leaving her 25-year corporate career to focus on family, Tara redefined her purpose and built an organization that helps women rediscover their ambitions and create fulfilling personal and professional lives. In this episode, she shares her journey of reinvention, the challenges of balancing passion with business goals, and the lessons she’s learned as a female entrepreneur.

Connect with Erica and meet other incredible female founders by subscribing to ⁠SAYge Real Female Founders⁠ (for free!)

Connect with Erica and meet other incredible female founders by subscribing to ⁠⁠SAYge Real Female Founders⁠⁠ (for free!)

⁠⁠Check out Believe, Inspire, Grow⁠⁠

Karen Helburn is founder and owner of Just Hatched, a luxury baby boutique specializing in retail and corporate baby gifting, based in Guilford, Connecticut. Karen has grown her business from modest beginnings at her kitchen table to a thriving operation with a global shipping program.

Karen started Just Hatched in response to a personal need when her newborn developed allergies to traditional fabrics. This challenge inspired her to source and sell organic, chemical-free baby products long before they were mainstream. She began with grassroots efforts like "Tupperware-style" home parties, building her customer base step by step. Karen navigated the challenges of balancing family and business as a single mother early on and was determined to cultivate a supportive work environment at Just Hatched, employing many mothers and embracing a culture of flexibility and mutual support. Her leadership lessons, from managing a small team to making major business investments, provide practical wisdom for entrepreneurs looking to build sustainable businesses with heart.

Connect with Karen, meet other business owners and join a real support network by subscribing to SAYge Real Female Founders (for free!)

Chapters:

00:00 Introductions

01:00 Karen's Journey and the Inception of Just Hatched

03:00 Starting Small and Growing

07:00 Taking Calculated Risks

11:00 Navigating Personal Challenges

15:00 Building a Strong Team and Culture

17:00 Navigating Work-Life Balance as a Female Business Owner

20:00 The Importance of People and Culture

23:00 Highlights

25:30 Pearls of Wisdom

Erica Tuggle is the founder and CEO of Livin (formerly CooKonnect), a platform that bridges busy professionals with personal chefs, creating healthier home-cooked meals. Erica’s journey to entrepreneurship was sparked by her own challenges as a working mom and her drive to create solutions for families navigating similar struggles.

With over a decade of leadership at global brands like Coca-Cola, General Mills, and American Express, Erica’s professional expertise provided a strong foundation for her pivot to entrepreneurship. She successfully raised over $1M in funding to date, proving the ability to take an idea from concept to market, with big plans for scale.

Erica openly shares her journey's wins alongside the challenges of building a scalable business including maintaining focus, setting boundaries and prioritizing personal time in an industry that often demands 24/7 availability. Her insights into customer discovery, strategic fundraising and tips for work-life balance offer invaluable lessons for founders.

Connect with Erica and meet other incredible female founders by subscribing to ⁠SAYge Real Female Founders⁠ (for free!)

Mia Umana is the founder of Clickvoyant, an AI-powered analytics firm revolutionizing how mid-sized e-commerce businesses access and use marketing data. A first-time founder with over 15 years in marketing analytics, Mia has scaled her company to $40K in monthly recurring revenue while redefining limiting beliefs about what’s possible in business and motherhood. Her candid insights on resilience, grit, and the importance of embracing failure as part of the journey are invaluable for entrepreneurs navigating uncertainty.

Connect with Mia and meet other incredible founders. www.saygelink.substack.com

Key Takeaways

• Emotional wellness is crucial for founders.
• Building a business can feel isolating; community helps.
• The journey of entrepreneurship is filled with challenges.
• Co-founder dynamics can significantly impact a startup's success.
• Grit and determination are essential for overcoming obstacles.
• Accelerators provide valuable resources and networking opportunities.
• Understanding your relationship with money is vital for business success.
• Trusting your gut is important in decision-making.
• Progress in business doesn't always equate to immediate outcomes.
• Connecting with other female founders can provide support and guidance.

Chapters

00:00 The Importance of Emotional Wellness for Founders

03:00 Mia's Journey from Corporate to Entrepreneurship

05:00 The Co-Founder Dynamic and Its Challenges

10:00 Navigating the Startup Landscape: Grit and Determination

15:00 The Role of Accelerators in Startup Success

20:00 Current Traction and Vision for Clickvoyant

27:00 Our Relationship with Money

30:00 The Importance of Talking to Customers

33:00 Advice from her Journey

Karen Humphries Sallick is the CEO and co-founder of Contacts411, a platform that provides high quality, privacy compliant contact updating and enhancement for small businesses. After 35 years leading top brands like Burberry and Saks, Karen transitioned from corporate leadership to entrepreneurship to create flexible, impactful solutions for businesses. Her story of resilience, from pioneering remote and flexible work cultures to building a company while battling stage four cancer, exemplifies adaptability and unshakeable determination.

Connect with Karen and meet other incredible founders. www.saygelink.substack.com

• Creating a supportive work environment is crucial for success.
• Women face unique challenges in balancing work and family.
• Flexibility in the workplace is critical.
• Customer retention is more profitable than acquiring new customers..

• Facing significant challenges requires a shift in mindset, Karen learns from a stage four ovarian cancer diagnosis in June 2023.
• Self-care and flexibility are crucial for working women.
• Learning to accept the lack of control is important.

• Creating support networks is essential for success.
• Asking for help can actually bring joy and purpose to others.

• Redefining balance as happiness is key.
• Trusting your intuition is vital for personal growth.

Chapters

00 Introduction to Karen Humphries Sallick

02:00 The Journey from Corporate to Entrepreneurship

05:00 Challenges of Balancing Work and Family

08:00 Creating a Supportive Work Environment

10:00 Building a Culture of Flexibility and Support

13:00 The Birth of Contacts 411

15:00 The Importance of Customer Retention

18:00 Transitioning from Priority Group to Contacts 411

20:00 Empowering Small Businesses with Data

23:00 The Future of Contacts 411 and Its Mission

25:00 Building a Business: The Journey Begins

27:00 Facing Life's Challenges: A Personal Battle

29:00 The Importance of Self-Care and Flexibility

31:00 Navigating Control and Acceptance

33:00 The Financial Struggles of Female Founders

35:00 Creating Support Networks

37:00 Asking for Help: A Lesson in Vulnerability

39::00 Overcoming Self-Doubt and Imposter Syndrome

42:00 Redefining Balance: Happiness Over Perfection

Inbal Claudio is a serial entrepreneur and creator of Like-Minded Collective, championing female entrepreneurs through community and collaboration. Drawing from her own journey, she highlights the power of hiring the right support and seeking help when needed. By focusing on authentic relationships and intentional support, Inbal offers insight on cultivating a community around you that inspires growth and mutual success.

Connect with Inbal and hear new founder stories each week: www.saygelink.com/substack

In this episode, Rebekah Bastian opens up about the pivotal moments that shaped her path from VP at Zillow to founder of OwnTrail. She shares how embracing her own vulnerability and taking the leap into the unknown helped her build not just a company, but a personal movement centered on authenticity. After navigating the challenges of scaling her startup and its eventual sale to Teal, Rebekah reflects on the lessons learned and how they’ve led to her exciting new role leading product and marketing at Glowforge, helping people make creations with 3-D laser printers. Through the highs and lows of her journey, Rebekah’s story offers an empowering message: leaning into your truth and sharing it with others can create incredible opportunities for growth, resilience, and impact.

Check out OwnTrail: https://owntrail.com

Learn about GlowForge: https://glowforge.com

✨Connect with Rebekah and subscribe to our weekly SAYge Real Founders support (free): https://www.saygelink.com/substack

We sat down with co-founders Cathy Minter and Dawn Newsome of Wisdom, a groundbreaking company focused on empowering older adults to age with dignity and independence. Cathy and Dawn share their journey of leaving high-powered corporate careers to pursue a mission-driven startup born from their own caregiving experiences. They dive into the challenges of starting a business in midlife, navigating risk, building a collaborative company culture, and staying true to their vision. Their story is a testament to the power of resilience, partnership, and learning through the ups and downs of entrepreneurship. Whether you're a seasoned founder or dreaming of your first leap, this conversation will inspire and inform your journey.

Learn more about Wisdom here: https://www.mywisdom.io

Connect with Dawyn & Cathy and meet more founders by subscribing to SAYge Real Founders (free!) https://www.saygelink.com/substack