“Just just do it, get your LLC created, get your website created, do all the pieces.”  

 In today’s episode of Startups in Stilettos, Carlyn flies solo while sitting down with Kara Venus, an author and the owner of Stella's Way Marketing, a full-service small business consulting firm that helps small travel businesses launch and scale their marketing efforts. As a marketer by trade, Kara has been working in this space for over 12 years but wasn’t driven to start her own business until the birth of her daughter. After realizing a need for a more flexible schedule but still wanting to be connected to her passions, she began building her business while on maternity leave. She has been featured in Entrepreneur Magazine and writes for a number of publications educating parents on how to introduce their fur babies to their new babies. Check out her book Harper and Her Dogs, A tale about introducing your fur babies to your new baby. Tune in to hear how Kara approaches her creative, resourceful, and versatile type of marketing, what she’s come to learn about the hiring process, how combining her passions and interests has best served her, and more! 

What we talked about:

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 at entreprenista.com/join. We can’t wait to welcome you, support you, and be part of your business journey!   

Connect with Kara: 

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.

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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 don't just step out into the business world and say, I'm the best. I'm the smartest, I'm the nicest, I'm a good person, and everyone believes you overnight. No, you have to prove yourself, you have to consistently put in the work to show your true colors. And over time you build that reputation.”  

Whitney never imagined owning her own business, let alone founding a seven-figure award-winning international agency dedicated to helping companies and other businesses thrive. If you asked her at 22 what her aspirations in life were, Whitney would’ve said being the Director of PR for the New Orleans Saints was her one true dream. It’s funny where the journey can lead you after taking that first initial leap and that’s what we’re talking about in today’s episode of Startups in Stilettos. We sit down with True Story Public Relations founder, Whitney Lee to discuss her incredible journey, the many accomplishments that she has from being in business for 10 years, like being named Scarlett Magazine’s Woman of The Year in PR, and how she’s utilizing her insight on her mission to help business owners reduce complexity and make marketing simple, actionable, and profitable. After all, Whitney’s superpower is her ability to help frustrated business owners who’ve tried it all cut through all the noise and develop a custom strategy that really moves the needle.  

What we talk about:

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 at entreprenista.com/join. We can’t wait to welcome you, support you, and be part of your business journey!   

Connect with Whitney : 

Instagram 

Website 

True Story PR Podcast 

Linkedin 

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.

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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.

“If you've created something, get it out there, get it prototyped. Get it patented if it makes sense to patent because not every product needs to have a patent, but just get going on something.”  

  In today’s episode, we are joined by Libra Riley, the Founder and CEO of SWOOP™ Hanger, a patented hanger design that transitions the length of long garments to maximize closet storage, protect garments, and streamline travel. Who doesn't love that? Libra’s interest in organizing began many years ago out of the desire to make her own space more organized. With another classic case of necessity truly being the mother of invention, she found herself standing in her own closet in need of a solution. Moments later, she grabbed two wire hangers swooped up the bottom of her dress, and clipped the hangers together. Just like that SWOOP™ Hanger was born. Libra’s Genius awarded her first and second prizes at the 2021 SCORE Black Entrepreneur Pitch Event in the startup product category. Before developing SWOOP™, Libra worked for 10-plus years in nonprofit management supporting women, children, and families in the entertainment industry. Whether you’re looking for solutions to the problems created by retail therapy, or you’re simply looking for inspiration in your own CPG company, we’ve got your next AHA moment. Join us to learn from Libra’s fascinating experience launching her game-changing products and receive the valuable insights you need to make the vision you have for your business a profitable reality! 

We talked about:  

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

Connect with Libra:  

Are you ready to make meaningful business connections that lead to real business results? 

Join our Entreprenista League community of women founders! You’ll have access to a private community of like-minded Entreprenistas 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 and social channels, and MORE!

Whether you’re looking to scale your existing business and want to make the right connections, or you’re thinking about finally taking the leap to launch your business, we’re here to give you access to a community of women who will celebrate and support you every step of the way. 

Join the Entreprenista League today at entreprenista.com/join. We can’t wait to welcome you, support you, and be part of your business journey!

Become An Entreprenista!

 Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of The Entreprenista Podcast - the most fun business meeting for women founders and leaders. . If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the show and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts.

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“You want to do everything you want to be everything to everyone. You want to be the perfect founder, but the perfect founder doesn't exist you need to be authentic and true to yourself and the type of leader you are.”    

Named the 2021 Women Who Mean Business Honoree by the Houston Business Journal, Emily Cisek is the co-founder and CEO of The Postage, an all-in-one digital platform for life and family organizations but also for small businesses, succession, and legacy management. After experiencing the loss of three family members in six weeks, Emily started The Postage in 2020 to simplify how families organize their lives and navigate life transitions. Through collaborating with banks, The Postage can now support families and small businesses on a larger scale while bridging generational gaps and reinforcing banks as cornerstones of their communities. In today’s episode, we sit down with Emily Cisek to discuss her brilliant business idea born out of her attempts to process her own grief and a desire to help her community navigate these significant life transitions. As a TEDx speaker on liminal spaces and transformative journeys, she empowers audiences to embrace life’s transitional moments confidently. Join us to learn how Emily is single-handedly redefining the future of relationship banking through her visionary leadership and unrelenting dedication to remaining empathy-driven. 

What we talk about:  

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 at entreprenista.com/join. We can’t wait to welcome you, support you, and be part of your business journey!   

Connect with Emily: 

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.

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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 really realized that we need to take this very integrative holistic approach to wellbeing. So often we are focused on productivity and being busy. And we forget about listening to what we're actually going through.”  

Dr. Cindy Tsai is an award-winning board-certified physician, TEDx speaker, best-selling author, and Chief Wellness Officer as the visionary founder of Yes and More, a personal growth and wellness company.  As an inspired thought leader, Dr. Cindy understands that what is traditional or common practice doesn’t inherently equate to what is best in terms of how each individual can cultivate a state of wellness. This is why she’s dedicated to using her extensive Ivy League training and vast clinical experience as an internal medicine and integrative medicine physician, to empower leaders and organizations through the development of her comprehensive Mind Body Spirit wellness programs. She recognized the impact of chronic stress on the body and the challenges of navigating the US healthcare system, which led her to discuss this issue in length for her powerful Tedx talk on body intelligence. In today’s episode, we sit down with Dr. Cindy Tsai, who wrote the best-selling book So Much Better: Life-Changing Strategies to Develop Calm, Confidence, and Curiosity. She shares with us her unique perspective and profound awareness of health inequities, how it fuels her visions for a more inclusive world, her immense passion for women’s health, how we can become our own success story, and so much more!  

We talk about: 

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 at entreprenista.com/join. We can’t wait to welcome you, support you, and be part of your business journey!   

Connect with Dr. Cindy:  

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.

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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.

“Life is a series of fresh starts, and everybody is worthy of the support. We are about meeting people where they are and celebrating them.”   

After her own divorce and watching her sister call off her engagement the following year, Olivia was left with two significant questions: Why do we only celebrate weddings and new babies with the support of a registry? And Why are other major life changes like transitioning into divorce, graduating from a Ph.D. program, or even changes in career, not met with that same support? In search of the answer, she found an incredibly innovative and revolutionary business opportunity. In today's episode, Jess and Carlyn are back in the studio sitting down with Olivia Howell, co-founder and CEO of Fresh Starts Registry, a one-stop-shop for everything you need to begin again and the only platform that aggregates support experts for all life changes while also, supporting the Fresh Starts team of experts in their marketing, business, and public relations. Olivia shares with us her passion for celebrating and supporting people with what they need most to move ahead into their next phase of life, what the market research revealed to her, how she leveraged her 20 years of experience in marketing while building her business, and so much more! 

We talk about:  

If you’re looking to take your business to the next level, join the Entreprenista League today at entreprenista.com/join. We can’t wait to welcome you, support you, and be part of your business journey!     

Resources: 

Connect with Olivia:  

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.

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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 really didn't want to start my own brand. I just wanted products that worked…So it’s just solving this puzzle, which is great as an entrepreneur, because that’s what it is every day - solving a new mystery” 

Adria is another prime example of how necessity breeds innovation. As she was searching for the best natural hair care products with healthy and organic ingredients, she continued to run into a Goldie Locks-like dilemma. Eventually, she found a formula that was just right when she realized: with a bit of research and her own intuitive touch, she could mix the perfect product from the comfort of her own kitchen. In today’s episode, we sit down with the Entreprenista 100 award-winner Adria Marshall, who is the Founder and CEO of Ecoslay, a plant-based hair-care product brand for textured hair types. Adria shares with us how her product became an overnight viral success, her keys to sustaining growth and scaling your business, why having the right team is essential for a successful work environment, and so much more! 

We talked about: 

If you’re looking to take your business to the next level, join the Entreprenista League today at entreprenista.com/join. We can’t wait to welcome you, support you, and be part of your business journey!   

Resources:  

Connect with Adria: 

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.

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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 wanted to do something bolder, I've always wanted to empower women. I just didn't know how. And I told myself for a long time. I'm just shy. And I don't know that I could actually step into that role, or anything like that. That wasn't the case.”  

Angela Acosta is a girl’s girl and quite literally the picture of passion. As the founder of Angela’s Atelier, a personal branding and portrait photography studio in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, she is committed to helping women shape how they feel about themselves. Her mission? To provide a studio experience focusing on the journey, not perfection or self-judgment. In today’s episode, we sit down with Angela Acosta to further unpack her journey to find what she feels is her true calling. She shares with us how she creates a safe space for every woman that she photographs, why everyone should have a portfolio of photographs at their disposal, her secret to bringing her clients out of their shells, how she overcame her initial fear of putting herself out there and so much more!  

We talk about: 

If you’re looking to take your business to the next level, join the Entreprenista League today at entreprenista.com/join. We can’t wait to welcome you, support you, and be part of your business journey!    

Resources: 

Connect with Angela: 

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|TuneIn|GooglePlay|Stitcher|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.

Carmen is the perfect example of why we should always be careful what we wish for because you never know when the Universe is listening. In a passing moment of frustration at the dwindling lifespan of her go-to candles, she uttered the words “I bet I could make it better” under her breath. Recognizing her limitless potential, her husband gifted her candle supplies that Christmas with a note that read in part “Let me see you do it”. The rest was history.  

In today’s episode, Carlyn sits down with inspiring Carmen Starks, Founder and Creative Director of Starks Candle Co., a premium candle company designed to create a lasting impression in commercial and residential spaces. Carmen shares with us why quality and sustainability are woven into the foundation of her company, how her business has become a team effort in her household, why other product-based businesses would greatly benefit from a subscription model, her secret to balancing out revenue levels from quarter to quarter, and so much more!  

“Remember that anything that's for you won't miss you. Because sometimes we get so caught up in like making it to the top that you're not even enjoying the process.” - Carmen Starks 

 This week on Startups in Stilettos:  

Favorite quotes from the episode: 

Join the Entreprenista League today at entreprenista.com/join. We can’t wait to welcome you, support you, and be part of your business journey!   

Connect with Carmen: 

Connect with your Startups in Stilettos hosts

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.

Courtlyn is a perfect testament to what you can achieve with pure passion for what you do and an unrelenting commitment to seeing your vision all the way through. For as long as she can remember, the fine arts have always been a fundamental part of her identity and expression but when she enrolled in college, she made a practical decision to study digital design. After 9 years as a graphic designer in the corporate space, she received a thyroid cancer diagnosis that changed the trajectory of her life. Courtlyn realized life was too short not to chase her own dreams and help other creatives do the same. So, with no plan and an endless amount of courage, she quit her job and set off on her entrepreneurial journey.  

In today’s episode, Carlyn sits down with the truly inspiring Courtlyn Jones, graphic designer, visual artist, and founder and CEO of The Design Database, the leading women-owned online community and job platform for female and non-binary creatives. She shares with us the mission behind her company, how she navigated leaving corporate while battling cancer, why it's so important to have moments of pause, the DIY projects that laid the foundation for her business, how her business functions like an Indeed meets Instagram, and so much more!  

“It's all a learning process. I've learned my lessons now. And now I know how to be able to work smarter going forward.” - Courtlyn Jones 

This week on Startups in Stilettos:  

Resources Mentioned: 

Our favorite quotes: 

• “I know how hard it is to be a creative female in this industry. And how in corporate, there are so many opportunities that aren't open to us as much as we want them to be. Being a freelancer, it also has its issues as well. So I wanted my own platform where it was a space for creatives to feel safer and also to make new friends, get inspired by other creatives as well, and feel empowered, but also have the tools that they need to attract higher quality clients and companies.” - Courtlyn Jones  

• “I designed the entire site from scratch, learn how to do all of the coding, and made it all work the way that I want it to finally and I was up to like four in the morning every night for weeks doing it. And it's finally up and it's so beautiful and I'm really proud of that.” - Courtlyn Jones   

• “Having the passion and the soul and the actual emotion behind the art from an actual human being, I think, that takes a huge win over AI any day. So I really hope that the world isn't going to become so soulless that we can't see that going forward or forever.” - Courtlyn Jones 

Join the Entreprenista League today at entreprenista.com/join. We can’t wait to welcome you, support you, and be part of your business journey!

Connect with Courtlyn: