She Built That | Get Inspired! | Weekly interviews with female founders building their empires on their own terms!

"If you got an idea and you are going to go for it, really go for it, because great things will happen because of that." Andrea Drager on She Built That.

Andrea Drager spent 10-plus years consulting for multinational organizations before deciding to leave the corporate world and start her own company.  While she is grateful for the opportunities, individuals and experiences she encountered while consulting, finding travel products that were tailored to the young, jet-setting female professional was a challenge. They were either too expensive or didn't allow for the function and organization required for frequent flyers.

"There are no really great bags that are lightweight, that are flexible, that allow you to customize the pockets so that you can organize it the way that you like to organize it, that look stylish but also that don't break the bank."

In October 2015, Andrea along with her co-founder Michael Brown created Vesper Faering, a bespoke travel essentials company that lets consumers customize their own bags based on their lifestyle needs. My favourite design feature, hands down, is the carry-on connector; I can't tell you how many times my carry-on bag has fallen off the top of my suitcase.

In today's interview you'll learn:

• Why Andrea made the decision to leave Paris and the consulting world to start her own company
• The biggest personal challenge she has had to overcome with starting Vesper Faering
• The two ways that she has changed her lifestyle to adapt to the startup life and income
• Why she advises all entrepreneurs to honour their creative side and just go for it

For more stories from rad women building big businesses, head on over to www.shebuiltthat.com

If you are looking for angel investors, think of them as more than just a cheque writer. You are looking at them to open doors to their own personal network […] Think of it as marriage ~Thealzel Lee on She Built That

Thealzel Lee has always had a healthy appetite for risk. As a single parent of three boys, she made the risky decision to leave her corporate gig early on for the entrepreneurial life. After pursuing a series of business endeavours, Thealzel ended up in Vancouver. She took a position in the corporate world of investment banking, assisting startups find early-stage funding for their businesses. It was there she recognized that these startups required a different kind of capital, and thus began her foray into  the world of Angel Investing.

In 2011, Thealzel co-founded E-Fund, an angel seed equity investment fund that invests predominantly in BC-based companies. Since its inception in 2011, the fund has had two exits and will be opening up its third round of investments this fall.

In today's interview you'll learn:

• The three questions she asks before investing in a company.
• Why she believes it's the networks, not the money, that are of most value to entrepreneurs.
• The different stages of investing and what they mean.
• How you can get almost 70 percent of your investment back with tax credits and RRSPs.

To hear more from rad women building big businesses, head on over to www.shebuiltthat.com

"Follow your passion and do what you love" Jill Earthy on She Built That

Jill Earthy is a get-sh*t-done kind of woman! Having started, scaled and sold two companies early on in her career, she knows firsthand the multitude of challenges entrepreneurs, in particular female entrepreneurs, encounter when starting a business. As a result, she has spent a majority of her career educating, supporting and connecting likeminded business women. She has been nominated for several awards and accolades for her work.

It is her recent foray into the world of investing via her role as the chief growth officer at FrontFundr that has her excited as of late. "You know we all work hard for our money but we like to pay it forward too. The best part about these kind of things now is that you can pay it forward but you are probably going to get a return down the road … maybe." She goes on to caution that these are high-risk investments so she can't make any guarantees, but I'm sure we're all familiar with the saying, "No Risk No Reward" — am I right?  And in true Jill Earthy form, once she has found a gem of information that she believes can be valuable to others, she is eager to share this knowledge with the masses.

In today's interview, you'll learn: 

• How a tragic event early on in Jill's life played a huge role in her entrepreneurial pursuit.
• How women and men build companies differently, and both are OK.
• How you can own a piece of a Canadian-founded company for as little as $250
• How she learned to ask for help.

 Fo more on Jill and other rad women, head on over to shebuiltthat.com

"Our language creates our reality" Steph Corker on She Built That

Steph Corker knows the power of goal-setting, sacrifice and persistence. This past July, having previously competed in 13 Ironman races over the course of almost four years, Steph won first place at Ironman Canada in Whistler and is heading to Kona, Hawaii this October to compete with the best Ironman athletes in the word. #MajorGirlCrush

If her athletic achievements aren't impressive enough, Steph is also the co-founder of the human capital consulting company. The Corker Co is a talent acquisition and acceleration company she started with her brother just over two years ago. It boasts clients like Google, Lululemon and Shoes.com, to name a few.

While many entrepreneurs find it hard to do anything else but work on their business, Steph admits to being positively obsessed with endorphins. She carves out a minimum of two hours a day to dedicate to training. "I felt like I was a better version of myself in my work when I was shooting towards a start line."

In today's interview you'll learn:

• How Steph became obsessed with endorphins and Ironman.
• The dedication and sacrifice required to win an Ironman race.
• Her insights on the power of staying really centred.
• Why she would encourage everyone to eradicate fast food from their diets.

To hear more from Steph and other rad women building big businesses head on over to SheBuiltThat.com

"Whatever you are doing with that beautiful life you have been given, may it be worth your only life" Theresa Laurico on She Built That

When Theresa was in her late twenties, she had it all. A great job in television, a condo in the city. From the outside everything looked great. But on the inside, Theresa knew that she was destined to do something greater, something that would have a bigger impact on the world. One day she asked herself the question that changed the course of her life forever, "Is what I wake up to do every single day worth my only life?"

After years of working in film and television, Theresa knew she wanted to dedicate her life to media that aligned with her values. She founded SociaLIGHT in 2011, and has grown it to be one of the largest entrepreneur and startup conferences in Canada. A play on the original definition of "socialite," Theresa's SociaLIGHT Conference is spelt L.I.G.H.T. and stands for the acronym Leader Impacting Global Humanity Today.

"What if we were a new breed of socialites, where I valued you not because of the name brand on your watch or the social status your parents came from but for the impact and contribution you made in the world."

Theresa Laurico is on a mission to impact 100 million hearts and has partnered with some big players to do so. To date, SociaLIGHT has taken place in both Toronto and Vancouver, and includes speakers such as Seth Godin, Richard Branson and Robin Sharma. She believes

In today's interview you'll learn:

- Why Theresa is so passionate about her morning routine. - How she acquired the seed funding to start SociaLIGHT. - Why she thinks financial literacy is so important as an entrepreneur. - Why she would encourage everyone to ask themselves, "Is what you are doing with your life, worth your only life?"

To hear more from Theresa and other rad women building businesses, head on over to shebuiltthat.com

Lisa Fraser is the Founder and President of Wearable Therapeutics. One of their best-known creations is the Snug Vest: an inflatable vest used to calm children and adults with autism, sensory processing disorder or anxiety.

Lisa created the product in her fourth year at Emily Carr University, and had no intention of ever commercializing the vest. However, as a result of the Snug Vest's creative and user-friendly design, the Snug Vest went on to win numerous design awards and caught the attention of many individuals interested in purchasing the product for themselves. After being featured in Forbes in 2013, Snug Vest gained international media attention.

"We have helped thousands of kids and families improve their quality of life and when we get success stories come in, that's what really propels us to move forward […] I would never be running a start-up if that wasn't the case. It's just too hard."

Four years later, Lisa has grown Wearable Therapeutics to a total of five staff, and has been featured on Dragon's Den and in BC Business Top 30 Under 30 to name a few. She regularly receives feedback from parents, teachers and customers sharing how Snug Vest has changed their lives and credits this feedback to what keeps her going.

In today's interview you'll learn:

• Why Lisa created the Snug Vest
• How she recovered from a serious bout of burnout
• Her favourite thing to do when she is not working
• How she made one of the biggest decisions in her business to date

To hear from more rad women building wicked companies, head on over to SheBuiltThat.com

"The reality of being in a growth stage business [is] you can't necessarily have the perfect routine. That being said, my mom always say's if Obama can do it, so can you." Annalea Krebs on She Built That

If the world had more women like Annalea Krebs, we would all be better off. This kind and thoughtful 31-year-old serial entrepreneur has not only built an empire based on helping consumers access eco-friendly natural products, she has curated a community of over 100,000 like-minded individuals as well.

With Social Nature — a close spin-off of her first venture, ethicalDeal, which she sold in 2015 — Annalea has created a marketplace for natural and eco-friendly brands and consumers. Upon signing up to SocialNature.com, members are introduced to an array of eco-friendly and natural products which they can try for free, in exchange for a product review. Annalea recognized the power of influencer marketing. "At Social Nature we believe everyday people can be influential, [and] you don't necessarily need a large reach to be influential."

In today's interview you'll learn:

• How Annalea's father was a huge inspiration for her entrepreneurial endeavours.
• Why she believes passion is critical to growing your business.
• Why she would recommend all CEOs understand the motivations of their team.
• Why she lives by the words, "No means maybe and maybe means yes."

To hear from more rad women building and starting businesses, head on over to www.shebuiltthat.com

Entrepreneurship for me has been the best form of self-awareness. Because you are constantly thinking about who you really are, what you really want and how you want to impact people ~ Sunny Lenarduzzi on She Built That

Sunny Lenarduzzi

Full stop. If the name doesn't sound familiar, then you probably aren't big on social media, and you most certainly aren't using Snapchat — where Sunny has made a huge name for herself as an expert over the past year. At the age of 29, she has travelled the world educating businesses on how to leverage social media for business; has amassed a cult-like following on Snapchat; and has grown her YouTube channel from 500 to almost 50K subscribers in less than a year and a half.

 In a couple weeks, she is headed to Malibu to launch her next project, Boss Video Branding: an 80-part video series she created to help business owners leverage video for their businesses. She is also the host and producer of the Sunny Show, a weekly YouTube show where she teaches entrepreneurs around the world how to use video and social media to build the business of their dreams.

 With the goal of being a millionaire by 30, Sunny has big things planned for her future — so I'm grateful she was able to squeeze in some one-on-one time with me before her next big launch.

In today's interview, you'll learn:

• How she hustled to achieve what she thought was her "dream" job at 22.
• The advice she got in her early 20s that has shaped every career decision she has made.
• How she says no to "shiny objects."
• Her upcoming interview with a very special woman.

To find out more about Sunny and other rad women, head on over to shebuiltthat.com

I wouldn't be even close to where I am in life personally or professionally if it wasn't for charity ~ Lana Bradshaw on She Built That

Lana Bradshaw is one badass 37-year-old. With an almost two-year-old son, Jack, and an almost one-year-old new business, Revive, Lana has no qualms about telling it like it is. Partly because she is a straightforward person in general, and partly because she has no time for BS.

Up until now, Lana had spent most of her career on the corporate side specializing in HR management. She had never really considered entrepreneurship until a serendipitous encounter with her current business partner and mentor, Shafin Diamond.

"Shafin was the reason I jumped into Revive. […] I thought he was the kind of person that I want to align myself with to learn so much."

In addition to sharing a similar vision for Revive, an app that provides on-demand massage and RMT services, Lana and Shafin shared a passion for charity and giving back to the community. Giving back is something Lana has always made a huge priority in her life.

In today's interview you'll learn:

• How she juggles her toddler and a new business.
• Why she thinks it's important to give back.
• Why she thinks it's important for women to have their own bankroll.
• Her one-word definition of success.

To learn more about Lana and other rad female founders, head on over to SheBuiltThat.com.

Don't be shy to take care of yourself so you can cause what you want in the world! ~ Dan Shalit on She Built That

Dana Shalit is not your average 34-year-old. As executive national vice president of health and wellness brand Arbonne, Dana has achieved the highest position for any Arbonne consultant, and has taught the others on her team to achieve similar success:, Dana's team now consists of executive national VPs, national VPs and several regional VPs, to name a few.

No stranger to hard work, Dana embarked on her first entrepreneurial endeavour as an event producer at 26.  While she enjoyed event production, she quickly found this type of work to be all-consuming. She saw Arbonne as a way to make a little extra side money to give her the flexibility to pick and choose her event clients.

Five years after starting Arbonne, Dana continues to work part-time for Arbonne and works full-time on her passion ArtBound, an international charity that brings art programs to children in developing countries around the world in support of Free the Children. Having immigrated to Canada at the age of eight without knowing the language, art was how Dana found refuge from some of the challenges she faced as a new Canadian. She believes art is the international language of the world.  "I truly believe you can give people food, water and shelter, but that ability to express yourself is the reason people live."

In todays' interview you'll learn:

• The three things Dana does each morning to start her day.
• Her thoughts on network marketing and why so many people don't achieve their desired results.
• Her secret to continuously reaching her financial milestones.
• Her passion for art expression and how she believes it can change the world.

To learn more about Dana and other rad women building wicked businesses, head on over to www.shebuiltthat.com.

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