Startups in Stilettos

“And I feel like being able to teach this at a young age, even if it's like, you know, lemonade stand basics, right? Like, what do you need and how much do you have to spend? And what is it going to take for you to go out there? And what does it mean to actually earn a profit and all of that?”
In this episode of Startups in Stilettos, host Ingrid Zapata-Read sits down with Osayi Lasisi, founder of Pocketlings, a joy-centered toy and book company inspired by her daughter’s search for plush dolls that truly reflected her. What began as a personal frustration quickly uncovered a much larger gap in the toy industry—one that children and families experience every day.

With over 13 years of marketing experience and multiple community-powered ventures under her belt, Osayi shares how she turned her daughter’s idea into a growing brand rooted in authenticity, cultural representation, and emotional connection. Together, they dive into building product-based businesses without constant hustle, leveraging partnerships and community for growth, navigating manufacturing and tariffs, and validating ideas—especially when those ideas come from kids.

What we talked about:
Finding the Right People [4:52]
Community Powered Growth [9:39]
Getting Started with a Business [14:02]
Partnerships are Everything [17:36]
Dolls in Daycare [22:08]

Join hundreds of ambitious, purpose-driven founders at The PGA National Resort for a life-changing weekend of inspiration, motivation, and transformation for the 2026 Founders Weekend!

Connect with Osayi:
@pocketlings on Instagram

Osayi Lasisi on LinkedIn

Pocketlings

@carlynbushmanconsulting⁠⁠ on Instagram ⁠⁠

Carlyn Bushman⁠⁠ on ⁠LinkedIn⁠ ⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠

@itsingridsworld ⁠⁠on Instagram ⁠⁠

Ingrid Zapata-Read⁠⁠ on ⁠Linkedin⁠

 ⁠⁠⁠Grow With Community⁠⁠⁠

Members of our Entreprenista League get access to live Office Hours with top founders that have been on our show! Join the Entreprenista League today! We can’t wait to welcome you, support you, and be part of your business journey! 

Get Featured on Startups in Stilettos
Want a chance to be featured on Startups in Stilettos? We’re currently accepting applications from our Entreprenista League members to be featured on the show! Think of the Entreprenista League as your team members in what can be a lonely startup founder’s journey. You’ll have access to a private community of like-minded female startup founders who are making an impact in business every day, special discounts on business products and solutions, exclusive content, private events, the opportunity to have your story featured on our website, social channels – and, of course, the Startups in Stilettos podcast – and so much MORE!

Grow Your Startup with Startups in Stilettos
Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Startups in Stilettos, powered by the Entreprenista PodcastNetwork. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts.
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | iHeart Radio

Be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media to help us reach more startup founders, like you, and have a chance to win a one-on-one mentor and strategy session with Stephanie Cartin.

Join us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. And for even more exclusive content and information – and to get access to the 8 Secrets to Success in Your Business video course and worksheet – visit our website.

“No one can fund your business. No one can come to your store. No one can purchase your service. If they don't know you exist, if they don't know about it, if they don't know how it can help you, PR does all of those things.”
‍What if visibility isn’t about being louder—but being more relevant? In this episode of Startups in Stilettos, hosts Ingrid Zapata-Read and Carlyn Bushman sit down with PR powerhouse KJ Blattenbauer, founder of Hearsay PR, to break down what it really takes to go from “best-kept secret” to in-demand authority. With nearly 30 years in public relations, KJ shares why founders, especially women, stay hidden, how perfectionism blocks momentum, and why clarity always beats polish. From crafting pitch-worthy stories editors actually open to building visibility without burnout, this conversation is packed with actionable insights you can use right now. Plus, KJ gives a sneak peek into her upcoming book Pitchworthy and the mindset shift every entrepreneur needs to stop waiting and start showing up.
What we talked about:

When Should You Think About PR [7:19]

How to Stay Ahead [10:51]

Your Golden Ticket to Publicity [15:07]

Share the Press! [19:42]

Public Relations is FREE [23:28]

‍

Join hundreds of ambitious, purpose-driven founders at The PGA National Resort for a life-changing weekend of inspiration, motivation, and transformation for the 2026 Founders Weekend!

Connect with KJ:

@kjblattenbauer on Instagram

KJ Blattenbauer on LinkedIn

Grab your copy of Pitchworthy for less than $1!
‍
Connect with Carlyn: ⁠⁠

@carlynbushmanconsulting⁠⁠ on Instagram ⁠⁠

Carlyn Bushman⁠⁠ on ⁠LinkedIn⁠ ⁠⁠⁠
Carlyn Bushman Consulting⁠

⁠⁠
Connect with Ingrid: ⁠⁠

@itsingridsworld ⁠⁠on Instagram ⁠⁠

Ingrid Zapata-Read⁠⁠ on ⁠Linkedin⁠

⁠⁠⁠Grow With Community⁠⁠⁠
Members of our Entreprenista League get access to live Office Hours with top founders that have been on our show!

Join the ⁠Entreprenista League ⁠today! We can’t wait to welcome you, support you, and be part of your business journey! Get Featured on Startups in Stilettos.

Want a chance to be featured on Startups in Stilettos?

We’re currently accepting applications from our Entreprenista League members to be featured on the show! Think of the Entreprenista League as your team members in what can be a lonely startup founder’s journey. You’ll have access to a private community of like-minded female startup founders who are making an impact in business every day, special discounts on business products and solutions, exclusive content, private events, the opportunity to have your story featured on our ⁠website,⁠ social channels – and, of course, the Startups in Stilettos podcast – and so much MORE!

Grow Your Startup with Startups in Stilettos

Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Startups in Stilettos, powered by the Entreprenista PodcastNetwork. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts.

‍⁠Apple Podcasts⁠ | ⁠Spotify⁠ | ⁠iHeart Radio⁠

‍Be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media to help us reach more startup founders, like you, and have a chance to win a one-on-one mentor and strategy session with Stephanie Cartin.

Join us on ⁠Facebook⁠, ⁠Twitter,⁠ ⁠Instagram,⁠ and ⁠LinkedIn.⁠ And for even more exclusive content and information – and to get access to the 8 Secrets to Success in Your Business video course and worksheet – ⁠visit our website.

‍

“That's that visibility that I teach for that with that consistent content has to drive to your list or here again, it's just noise. It's just content. That's all it's doing. So visibility without strategy is just noise.”
In this episode of Startups and Stilettos, hosts Carlyn Bushman and Ingrid Zapata-Read sit down with Tracy Beavers, CEO and Founder of Tracy Beavers Coaching and longtime visibility strategist, to unpack sustainable, real-world marketing strategies for founders who are already juggling a lot.
With more than 20 years of experience helping entrepreneurs grow through organic marketing, Tracy shares how she built a multi–six-figure business while working full-time in corporate, raising kids, and protecting her sanity. Her approach? Systems, consistency, and visibility with intention—not noise.

What we talked about:
Getting into Coaching [4:58]
Cleaning the Calendar [10:00]
Finding Your Platform [14:48]
THE Email List [19:36]
Being a Better Coach [24:13]

Join hundreds of ambitious, purpose-driven founders at The PGA National Resort for a life-changing weekend of inspiration, motivation, and transformation for the 2026 Founders Weekend!

Her FREE Facebook group

Connect with Tracy on Facebook

Sign up for the waitlist of Business Visibility Made Easy!

@carlynbushmanconsulting⁠⁠ on Instagram ⁠⁠

Carlyn Bushman⁠⁠ on ⁠LinkedIn⁠ ⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠

@itsingridsworld ⁠⁠on Instagram ⁠⁠

Ingrid Zapata-Read⁠⁠ on ⁠Linkedin⁠

 ⁠⁠⁠Grow With Community⁠⁠⁠

Members of our Entreprenista League get access to live Office Hours with top founders that have been on our show! Join the Entreprenista League today! We can’t wait to welcome you, support you, and be part of your business journey!  

Get Featured on Startups in Stilettos
Want a chance to be featured on Startups in Stilettos? We’re currently accepting applications from our Entreprenista League members to be featured on the show! Think of the Entreprenista League as your team members in what can be a lonely startup founder’s journey. You’ll have access to a private community of like-minded female startup founders who are making an impact in business every day, special discounts on business products and solutions, exclusive content, private events, the opportunity to have your story featured on our website, social channels – and, of course, the Startups in Stilettos podcast – and so much MORE!

Grow Your Startup with Startups in Stilettos
Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Startups in Stilettos, powered by the Entreprenista PodcastNetwork. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts.

Apple Podcasts | Spotify | iHeart Radio

Be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media to help us reach more startup founders, like you, and have a chance to win a one-on-one mentor and strategy session with Stephanie Cartin.

Join us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. And for even more exclusive content and information – and to get access to the 8 Secrets to Success in Your Business video course and worksheet – visit our website.

“I never really wanted to be in front of the camera with my brand because I wanted to be an eyewear brand, not a black -owned eyewear brand. I didn't want to be pigeonholed into something in people's mind.”
In this episode of Startups in Stilettos, hosts Ingrid Zapata-Read and Carlyn Bushman sit down with Entreprenista League member Dionne Ellison, Founder and CEO of Vuliwear, an elevated eyewear brand redefining how we think about sunglasses. Inspired by macro photography of insect eyes, Dionne transformed hidden beauty in nature into bold, Italian-made, lens-driven designs that lead with both purpose and style.

Dionne shares her deeply personal entrepreneurial journey—rooted in family creativity, influenced by years in corporate leadership, and shaped by her own cataract experience. Together, they explore what it takes to disrupt a saturated market, why Vuliwear leads with the lens instead of the frame, and how education, health, and fashion can coexist in one powerful brand.

What we talked about:
Macro Inspiration [4:17]
Focus on the Lens [9:09]
Blending it all Together [15:23]
The Biggest Challenge [19:04]
Why Invest in Good Glasses [26:40]

Join hundreds of ambitious, purpose-driven founders at The PGA National Resort for a life-changing weekend of inspiration, motivation, and transformation for the 2026 Founders Weekend!

@carlynbushmanconsulting⁠⁠ on Instagram ⁠⁠

Carlyn Bushman⁠⁠ on ⁠LinkedIn⁠ ⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠

@itsingridsworld ⁠⁠on Instagram ⁠⁠

Ingrid Zapata-Read⁠⁠ on ⁠Linkedin⁠

 ⁠⁠⁠Grow With Community⁠⁠⁠

Members of our Entreprenista League get access to live Office Hours with top founders that have been on our show! Join the Entreprenista League today! We can’t wait to welcome you, support you, and be part of your business journey!  

Get Featured on Startups in Stilettos
Want a chance to be featured on Startups in Stilettos? We’re currently accepting applications from our Entreprenista League members to be featured on the show! Think of the Entreprenista League as your team members in what can be a lonely startup founder’s journey. You’ll have access to a private community of like-minded female startup founders who are making an impact in business every day, special discounts on business products and solutions, exclusive content, private events, the opportunity to have your story featured on our website, social channels – and, of course, the Startups in Stilettos podcast – and so much MORE!

Grow Your Startup with Startups in Stilettos
Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Startups in Stilettos, powered by the Entreprenista PodcastNetwork. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts.

Apple Podcasts | Spotify | iHeart Radio

Be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media to help us reach more startup founders, like you, and have a chance to win a one-on-one mentor and strategy session with Stephanie Cartin.

Join us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. And for even more exclusive content and information – and to get access to the 8 Secrets to Success in Your Business video course and worksheet – visit our website.

“You truly kept going. You learned along the way. And guess what? You asked for help. You figured things out. And I know we sound like a broken record here, but so many wins, so many plot twists. And once again, you're still here.”
In this special year-end episode of Startups in Stilettos, Ingrid Zapata-Read and Carlyn Bushman look back on the moments that defined this year—not the polished highlight reels, but the raw, powerful conversations that reminded us what entrepreneurship actually looks like behind the scenes.
From embracing uncomfortable seasons and redefining success, to breaking money taboos, owning your voice, navigating male-dominated rooms, and learning to read your numbers without fear—this episode is a highlight reel of six mic-drop moments from 2025 that made us pause, nod, laugh, and immediately text a friend.

What we talked about:
Jac White [1:51]
Ari Krzyzek [4:13]
Gloria Govan[6:32]
Melissa Armstrong [8:54]
The Laurens [11:03]
Natalie Rosado [13:53]

Join hundreds of ambitious, purpose-driven founders at The PGA National Resort for a life-changing weekend of inspiration, motivation, and transformation for the 2026 Founders Weekend!

@carlynbushmanconsulting⁠⁠ on Instagram ⁠⁠

Carlyn Bushman⁠⁠ on ⁠LinkedIn⁠ ⁠⁠⁠
Carlyn Bushman Consulting⁠

⁠⁠

@itsingridsworld ⁠⁠on Instagram ⁠⁠

Ingrid Zapata-Read⁠⁠ on ⁠Linkedin⁠

 ⁠⁠⁠Grow With Community⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠Grow With Community⁠⁠
Members of our Entreprenista League get access to live Office Hours with top founders that have been on our show! Join the Entreprenista League today! We can’t wait to welcome you, support you, and be part of your business journey!  

Get Featured on Startups in Stilettos
Want a chance to be featured on Startups in Stilettos? We’re currently accepting applications from our Entreprenista League members to be featured on the show! Think of the Entreprenista League as your team members in what can be a lonely startup founder’s journey. You’ll have access to a private community of like-minded female startup founders who are making an impact in business every day, special discounts on business products and solutions, exclusive content, private events, the opportunity to have your story featured on our website, social channels – and, of course, the Startups in Stilettos podcast – and so much MORE!

Grow Your Startup with Startups in Stilettos
Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Startups in Stilettos, powered by the Entreprenista PodcastNetwork. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts.
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | iHeart Radio

Be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media to help us reach more startup founders, like you, and have a chance to win a one-on-one mentor and strategy session with Stephanie Cartin.

Join us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. And for even more exclusive content and information – and to get access to the 8 Secrets to Success in Your Business video course and worksheet – visit our website.

“...Now I feel so secure and confident in what I'm doing that, you know, it's completely different than what I originally set it out to be. But I'm really grateful that it is.”

In this episode of Startups and Stilettos, host Ingrid Zapata-Read sits down with Darcy Bennet—founder of DB Executive Services and the powerhouse behind Elevating Administrative Professionals, a fast-growing global event series and community transforming how administrative leaders show up in the workplace.

With more than a decade supporting executives at the highest levels, Darcy has made it her mission to shift the administrative role from behind-the-scenes support to strategic partnership. She shares how she built a business that bridges the worlds of administration and event planning, empowering admins to step confidently into leadership, strengthen operations, and create the connections that lead to real opportunity.

What we talked about:
Connecting With Others [6:25]
Connecting the Attendees [13:08]
Offering a Mentorship [16:56]
Changing the Mind Set [21:47]
The Biggest Challenge [24:09]

Join hundreds of ambitious, purpose-driven founders at The PGA National Resort for a life-changing weekend of inspiration, motivation, and transformation for the 2026 Founders Weekend!

Connect with Darcy:

@dbexecutiveservices on Instagram
Darcy Bennet on LinkedIn‍

DB Executive Services

‍
Connect with Carlyn: ⁠⁠

@carlynbushmanconsulting⁠⁠ on Instagram ⁠⁠

Carlyn Bushman⁠⁠ on ⁠LinkedIn⁠ ⁠⁠⁠
Carlyn Bushman Consulting⁠

⁠⁠
Connect with Ingrid: ⁠⁠

@itsingridsworld ⁠⁠on Instagram ⁠⁠

Ingrid Zapata-Read⁠⁠ on ⁠Linkedin⁠

⁠⁠⁠Grow With Community⁠⁠⁠

‍

Members of our Entreprenista League get access to live Office Hours with top founders that have been on our show! Join the ⁠Entreprenista League ⁠today! We can’t wait to welcome you, support you, and be part of your business journey!  

Get Featured on Startups in StilettosWant a chance to be featured on Startups in Stilettos? We’re currently accepting applications from our Entreprenista League members to be featured on the show! Think of the Entreprenista League as your team members in what can be a lonely startup founder’s journey. You’ll have access to a private community of like-minded female startup founders who are making an impact in business every day, special discounts on business products and solutions, exclusive content, private events, the opportunity to have your story featured on our ⁠website,⁠ social channels – and, of course, the Startups in Stilettos podcast – and so much MORE!

Grow Your Startup with Startups in StilettosThanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Startups in Stilettos, powered by the Entreprenista PodcastNetwork. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts.⁠Apple Podcasts⁠ | ⁠Spotify⁠ | ⁠iHeart Radio⁠

Be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media to help us reach more startup founders, like you, and have a chance to win a one-on-one mentor and strategy session with Stephanie Cartin.

Join us on ⁠Facebook⁠, ⁠Twitter,⁠ ⁠Instagram,⁠ and ⁠LinkedIn.⁠ And for even more exclusive content and information – and to get access to the 8 Secrets to Success in Your Business video course and worksheet – ⁠visit our website.⁠

“...I have been able to scale multiple businesses off of organic social media reach alone. No email marketing, no paid ads. Literally just organic reach. And word of mouth. And I mean, I think that speaks volumes to it.”
‍In this inspiring episode of Startups in Stilettos, we sit down with Entreprenista League member and Powerhouse Latina founder Nicole Leone—the dynamic force behind El Leone Virtual Assistance, a boutique executive support agency trusted by heart-led brands, boutique law firms, and scrappy scaling founders.Nicole takes us behind the scenes of her journey from “ex-corporate baddie” to self-made, bootstrapped entrepreneur. She opens up about the moments that pushed her out of corporate America, the lash business she built in her living room that gave her the freedom to leap, and how she transformed the very traits she was once criticized for—empathy, emotional intelligence, and connection—into her entrepreneurial superpowers.
What we talked about:
Starting the Virtual Assistant [3:15]
A Super Side Hustle [8:21]
Planning Online Content [12:20]
Using Social Media [15:27]
Being in the Right Alignment [19:51]
Connect with Nicole:
Website

@lleon.va or @thenicoleleon on Instagram

Nicole Leon on Linkedin
‍
Connect with Carlyn: ⁠⁠

@carlynbushmanconsulting⁠⁠ on Instagram ⁠⁠

Carlyn Bushman⁠⁠ on ⁠LinkedIn⁠ ⁠⁠⁠
Carlyn Bushman Consulting⁠

⁠⁠
Connect with Ingrid: ⁠⁠

@itsingridsworld ⁠⁠on Instagram ⁠⁠

Ingrid Zapata-Read⁠⁠ on ⁠Linkedin⁠

⁠⁠⁠Grow With Community⁠⁠⁠

‍

Join hundreds of ambitious, purpose-driven founders at The PGA National Resort for a life-changing weekend of inspiration, motivation, and transformation for the 2026 Founders Weekend!

‍

Members of our Entreprenista League get access to live Office Hours with top founders that have been on our show! Join the ⁠Entreprenista League ⁠today! We can’t wait to welcome you, support you, and be part of your business journey!  

Get Featured on Startups in Stilettos

Want a chance to be featured on Startups in Stilettos? We’re currently accepting applications from our Entreprenista League members to be featured on the show! Think of the Entreprenista League as your team members in what can be a lonely startup founder’s journey. You’ll have access to a private community of like-minded female startup founders who are making an impact in business every day, special discounts on business products and solutions, exclusive content, private events, the opportunity to have your story featured on our ⁠website,⁠ social channels – and, of course, the Startups in Stilettos podcast – and so much MORE!

Grow Your Startup with Startups in Stilettos

Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Startups in Stilettos, powered by the Entreprenista Podcast Network. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts.

‍⁠Apple Podcasts⁠ | ⁠Spotify⁠ | ⁠iHeart Radio⁠

‍Be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media to help us reach more startup founders, like you, and have a chance to win a one-on-one mentor and strategy session with Stephanie Cartin.

Join us on ⁠Facebook⁠, ⁠Twitter,⁠ ⁠Instagram,⁠ and ⁠LinkedIn.⁠ And for even more exclusive content and information – and to get access to the 8 Secrets to Success in Your Business video course and worksheet – ⁠visit our website.

"I think what really sets a lot of different agencies apart is how they acquire backlinks because there's so many. And that's another one of those terms, like, who even knows what that means. It's very important to get other websites to talk about your website.”
In this episode of Startups in Stilettos, Carlyn and Ingrid sit down with SEO strategist and founder of HelloSEO, Jade Pruett, to explore what visibility really means in 2025—across Google, AI browsers, and everywhere your brand shows up online.

Jade shares her powerful journey from a four-hour daily commute and a $49K corporate salary to bootstrapping her own six-figure SEO business while working full-time—and ultimately taking the leap into entrepreneurship. She opens up about the grind, the burnout, the freedom, and the life she and her husband have intentionally built as a result.

What we talked about:
Why Start A Business? [5:12]
AI and GPT [10:44]
Make Key Takeaways [15:29]
Ask About Backlinking [20:53]
Being Visible [24:53]

Use code ENTREPRENISTA for $100 off per month for HelloSEO's Foundational SEO package

Connect with Carlyn: ⁠⁠

@carlynbushmanconsulting⁠⁠ on Instagram ⁠⁠

Carlyn Bushman⁠⁠ on ⁠LinkedIn⁠ ⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠

@itsingridsworld ⁠⁠on Instagram ⁠⁠

Ingrid Zapata-Read⁠⁠ on ⁠Linkedin⁠

 ⁠⁠⁠Grow With Community⁠⁠⁠

Members of our Entreprenista League get access to live Office Hours with top founders that have been on our show! Join the Entreprenista League today! We can’t wait to welcome you, support you, and be part of your business journey!

Get Featured on Startups in Stilettos
Want a chance to be featured on Startups in Stilettos? We’re currently accepting applications from our Entreprenista League members to be featured on the show! Think of the Entreprenista League as your team members in what can be a lonely startup founder’s journey. You’ll have access to a private community of like-minded female startup founders who are making an impact in business every day, special discounts on business products and solutions, exclusive content, private events, the opportunity to have your story featured on our website, social channels – and, of course, the Startups in Stilettos podcast – and so much MORE!

Grow Your Startup with Startups in Stilettos
Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Startups in Stilettos, powered by the Entreprenista PodcastNetwork. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts.
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | iHeart Radio

Be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media to help us reach more startup founders, like you, and have a chance to win a one-on-one mentor and strategy session with Stephanie Cartin.

Join us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. And for even more exclusive content and information – and to get access to the 8 Secrets to Success in Your Business video course and worksheet – visit our website.

“And we reached out to them. I was like, I really want to do this self -care giveaway. I really want to elevate this like process of self-care…”
On this episode of Startups in Stilettos, host Carlyn Bushman sit down with Entreprenista League member Katya Eckert, founder and CEO of A DOMANI, the sleepwear brand redefining rest for women navigating postpartum, menopause, breast-cancer treatment, and beyond.

Inspired by her own postpartum night sweats and her mother’s battle with breast cancer, Katya turned a deeply personal pain point into a mission-driven apparel company blending comfort, science, and luxury. Her journey—marked by early momentum, major financial risk, a forced “emergency brake,” and ultimately, breakout visibility through Oprah Daily’s Menopause Awards and a CBS Mornings feature—offers a raw and refreshing look at what it really takes to build a product-based business.

What we talked about:
The Idea [5:04]
Profitable Milestones [10:45]
Getting Printed in Oprah Magazine [15:50]
Using Your Leverage [20:20]
Who To Partner With [24:56]

Connect with Carlyn:
⁠⁠@carlynbushmanconsulting⁠⁠ on Instagram
⁠⁠Carlyn Bushman⁠⁠ on LinkedIn
⁠⁠Carlyn Bushman Consulting⁠⁠

Join hundreds of ambitious, purpose-driven founders at The PGA National Resort for a life-changing weekend of inspiration, motivation, and transformation for the 2026 Founders Weekend!
Members of our Entreprenista League get access to live Office Hours with top founders that have been on our show! Join the Entreprenista League today! We can’t wait to welcome you, support you, and be part of your business journey!  

Get Featured on Startups in Stilettos
Want a chance to be featured on Startups in Stilettos? We’re currently accepting applications from our Entreprenista League members to be featured on the show! Think of the Entreprenista League as your team members in what can be a lonely startup founder’s journey. You’ll have access to a private community of like-minded female startup founders who are making an impact in business every day, special discounts on business products and solutions, exclusive content, private events, the opportunity to have your story featured on our website, social channels – and, of course, the Startups in Stilettos podcast – and so much MORE!

Grow Your Startup with Startups in Stilettos
Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Startups in Stilettos, powered by the Entreprenista PodcastNetwork. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts.
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | iHeart Radio

Be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media to help us reach more startup founders, like you, and have a chance to win a one-on-one mentor and strategy session with Stephanie Cartin.

Join us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. And for even more exclusive content and information – and to get access to the 8 Secrets to Success in Your Business video course and worksheet – visit our website.

“I've been in a number of communities and I think that sharing your challenges and your, even fear, you know, fears and challenges and your wins, which I think as women can be very hard sometimes to do with others…”

In this episode of Startups In Stilettos, host Ingrid Zapata-Read sit down with Sequoia Armstrong, conscious travel consultant, community builder, and founder of Puebla York, a boutique travel consultancy helping women design meaningful, mindful, and sustainable travel experiences.

Born and raised in Maui with Japanese heritage and deep ties to Mexico, Sequoia shares how her lifelong love of travel evolved into a purpose-driven business that empowers women — especially women of color — to explore the world intentionally.

What we talked about:
Importance of Solo Travel [4:14]
Conscious Travel [9:42]
Always Unique [12:47]
How Sequoia Supports You [17:52]
Different Growth Strategies [23:12]

Connect with Sequoia:

@pueblayorkinc on Instagram

Website 

Soul Wanderer Podcast

Connect with Ingrid: ⁠⁠

@itsingridsworld ⁠⁠on Instagram ⁠⁠

Ingrid Zapata-Read⁠⁠ on ⁠Linkedin⁠

 ⁠⁠⁠Grow With Community⁠⁠⁠

Join hundreds of ambitious, purpose-driven founders at The PGA National Resort for a life-changing weekend of inspiration, motivation, and transformation for the 2026 Founders Weekend!

Members of our Entreprenista League get access to live Office Hours with top founders that have been on our show! Join the Entreprenista League today! We can’t wait to welcome you, support you, and be part of your business journey!  

Get Featured on Startups in Stilettos

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