Teacher Turned Entrepreneur

Coming out of the Army, where her unique combo skill set was in high demand, Dr. Michele Pfannenstiel had a mountain to climb. The CEO of Dirigo Food Safety knew her veterinary training and regulatory expertise were valuable commodities, but her target market was reluctant, and growth was slow. The gamechanger? Hiring a life coach. Suddenly Michele had the perfect complement to her core consulting competencies – a set of tools to transform the mindsets of the prospects and clients who needed her help.

On this episode of She Turned Entrepreneur, Michele shares the story of how she won over resistant dairy and produce farmers, ranchers and artisanal food producers with a two-pronged approach to understanding and ultimately meeting regulatory standards. It was at first a tough sell, but by keeping focused on each next profit-generating step, Michele developed a highly successful program. Her Food Safety University provides an all-in-one platform featuring resources for creating compliance plans, training and documentation. And by bringing in the coaching element, Michele helps her clients integrate food safety as a habit, not an afterthought.

Michele’s business plan revolves around being constantly aware of her key indicators, whether lagging or leading. Learn how she uses self-coaching techniques to keep things flowing in the right direction. Michele also shares with us a series of concrete steps to take if your venture is stuck in first gear. Get ready to take notes as this triple-threat entrepreneur downloads all kinds of wisdom and … ahem … food for thought.

Click here if you’d like to check out Michele’s Food Safety University platform. She’s also offering a free step-by-step guide to food safety management that will ensure you pass your audit with flying colors. If you’d like to book an introductory call with Michele, click here.

Click here to listen to, rate and review this or previous episodes.

Here are key takeaways from the conversation:

• You never know where an entrepreneurial opportunity might show up, so put your skill set out there!

• Sometimes you have to invest up-front to educate your market and create the niche your business fills.

• If you have to convince a prospect that there is value in the service you provide, then they don’t align with your values. Cut them loose!

• Michele’s business turned a corner when she sought out life coaching.

• Your No. 1 asset is your brain, so keep close tabs on how well it’s functioning.

• The faster you make decisions, the more money you will make.

• Always be looking for your next best profit-making step.

• Every piece of marketing content you generate should include an ask

Here’s a quick look into the episode:

• Michele shares her unusual career path from a veterinary degree to serving in the Army, where she specialized in food inspection.

• A personal interest in feeding her family from farm-to-table sources spurred Michele’s interaction with farmers “flummoxed” by food safety regulations. Before she knew it, she was organically growing a business designing tailored regulatory plans.

• A boot camp for veterans turbocharged Michele’s transition to entrepreneurism.

• The biggest barrier to Michele’s business was the initial resistance farmers had to regulatory laws that do nothing for the bottom line. It wasn’t lucrative to spend time educating them to the necessity, but that was the first hurdle she had to clear.

• When she integrated coaching into her consulting business, food manufacturers were able not only to deploy a food safety plan but also make the mindset adjustments necessary to maintaining a robust program long-term.

• Advice for entrepreneurs who want to make a quantum leap:

o Ask yourself: What’s the next most profit-generating step I can create?

o Don’t wait for confidence or motivation. Just get going!

o Stop assuming that you have to feel good to perform profit-making actions!

o Identify your leading and lagging indicators. They reveal how well your brain is working and whether you’re positioned to make the next right decision.

 Lagging Indicators: Bank accounts and sales figures.

 Leading Indicators: Commitment to journaling and creating awareness about thoughts, feelings, nervous system responses and how the universe is supporting your mission. All four elements must be in balance.

o The way out of being stuck is making decisions. The faster you make them, the more money you will make.

o Don’t bog down trying to perfect collateral or other non-profit-generating tasks. And if you’re generating content, make sure to always include an ask!

About Michele:

Known by many as Dr. P., Michele earned her BA from Wellesley College and her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Georgia. She served as a veterinarian in the US Army Veterinary Corps serving at Ft. Monmouth, NJ, and the US Military Academy at West Point. After fulfilling her active duty commitment, Michele settled with her family in Southern Maine. In addition to her work with Farmer Veteran Coalition, since 2012 Michele has been the principal at Dirigo Food Safety, a consulting business that helps small farms and food producers navigate food safety and implement systems that can help them grow their businesses. She is also the founder of Food Safety University, a platform for regulatory plan development.

As often happens for entrepreneurs – especially women wearing many hats – Elizabeth Harris didn’t go immediately all-in on starting her own business. But a constant stream of people asking for her advice on diet and wellness ultimately tipped the balance: It was time to go a next step with her passion and earn a master’s degree in nutrition, healthspan and longevity. Today Elizabeth is a registered dietician, showing women how to throw off the yoke of “diet culture.”

Deploying an “intuitive eating” philosophy that rejects all the constant weighing, measuring and restriction that typically define diets, Elizabeth teaches women to listen to their bodies. All those harsh labels for food – good, bad, healthy, junk? Her coaching is about throwing them out, replacing shame and self-judgment with kindness and self-care. It can be scary to defy a $72 billion-dollar diet industry whose products and programs are, at best, a quick fix. But the results are incredibly gratifying. Elizabeth feels constantly inspired by the “aha” moments she witnesses as her clients transform their mindsets around food. The focus shifts away from self-control and yo-yo willpower to honoring the cues our bodies give about true hunger and satiety. With her evidence-based approach, Elizabeth harnesses the power of mindfulness.

If you’ve got a passion that burns even half as brightly as Elizabeth’s does, it’s not too late to start an entrepreneurial venture of your own. She was a financial marketing professional, as well as mom of three, long before deciding to become a dietician and coach. Her verdict? “I invested the time, the money, and the energy in myself … and, wow, was it worth it!”

This episode of the She Turned Entrepreneur podcast features top tips for getting started with an intuitive eating approach as well as excellent advice for anyone gearing up to launch a business.

Are you ready to break up with dieting? If so, please click on this link for Elizabeth's free five-day course. Lots of resources to get you started on a truly sustainable wellness journey!

Here are key takeaways from the conversation:

• It’s okay to come a bit later to a passion project – as did Elizabeth with great success!

• If people keep seeking your advice, that’s a clue. You have something to offer!

• The goal of Intuitive Eating is to listen to the body’s cues and approach food from a perspective of nurturing self-care rather than self-control or self-reproach.

• Shifting the focus from weight to well-being enables Elizabeth’s clients to get off the yo-yo dieting merry-go-round.

• Data clearly show that our widespread cultural pre-occupation with diet and weight has not yielded healthy results.

• The diet industry is a $72 billion business – with very low rates of success.

• When it comes to your kids, do your best to neutralize food.

• Freeing her clients from the tyranny of food and helping them befriend their own bodies is the thing that fuels Elizabeth’s practice.

Here’s a quick look into the episode:

• Elizabeth came to entrepreneurship by melding interests and goals: her degree as a dietician and desire for the flexibility that running her own business affords her family.

• It took about a decade of sustained interest in food, nutrition and wellness before Elizabeth finally committed 100% to starting her own business.

• Elizabeth’s fully virtual practice offers women (either one-to-one or in small groups) a roadmap for getting off the dieting treadmill by shifting to intuitive eating.

• What is intuitive eating? It’s a way of looking at food through a lens of self-care rather than self-control; trusting our bodies and healing our relationship with food.

• Elizabeth’s coaching provides an alternative to the rules and restrictions around diet, an approach that focuses on what our individual bodies truly need and desire.

• Rejecting “diet culture” can be exciting, but also overwhelming when our default is to constant measurement and tight control around food.

• Elizabeth’s Top Tips for Intuitive Eating:

1. Accept that diets don’t work. People don’t fail diets; diets fail people.

2. Pay close attention to how your body feels. Connect with the cues it provides to your level of hunger and satiety.

3. Watch your language. Resist “good/bad” or “healthy/unhealthy” labels that marginalize certain foods, producing stress, guilt and other negative emotions.

• Elizabeth’s coaching method derives from an evidence-based approach developed by the authors of "Intuitive Eating: A Revolutionary Program That Works."

• Children all-too-easily absorb toxic messages that divorce them from their own bodies.

• Elizabeth’s Top Tips for Aspiring Entrepreneurs:

1. If you’ve got a passion, it’s never too late to turn it into a business.

2. Make sure you’ve got a support system to minimize some of the loneliness that can crop up with a solo venture.

3. Invest in tools for success: Classes, coaching and systems.

• Elizabeth’s favorite part of coaching is seeing the transformational results.

• Interested in a free five-day course? Click here to find out all about it!

About Elizabeth:

Elizabeth helps women who are tired of feeling guilt, stress or frustration about their eating habits instead choose nourishing foods and build lifelong healthful habits so they can never diet again. Her coaching promotes wellness choices that leave clients feeling good about themselves and energized, ready to show up fully and live their best lives!

The most successful ventures start with a niche that needs to be filled. What was missing for Genevieve Weeks, CEO of Tutu School, was a creative, expressive space for infants and toddlers to enjoy movement. This episode of the She Turned Entrepreneur podcast highlights the whimsical boutique ballet school concept Genevieve has conjured to the delight of parents and their very young children alike. But what makes her recipe truly magical is its replicability – a formula that has launched successful Tutu School franchises around the U.S. and Canada.

With a robust online platform and ongoing training modules, the Tutu School business model offers a community of support for new owners. With an initial franchise fee of $42,000, it’s a compelling opportunity, especially for moms who appreciate the flexibility to manage operations remotely. Although Genevieve was at one time a professional dancer, franchisors needn’t have any special expertise. All that’s required is an entrepreneurial flair! The Tutu School platform provides the rest:

• Tools to carefully vet and train teachers in the art of being “magic makers.”

• Ongoing education and support through Twirl, a powerful online platform that provides a range of guides, video master classes, proprietary software and other tools.

• Help with website development, scheduling systems and advertising campaigns.

• Templates for communications, social media, marketing and branding messages.

• A powerful community of support among franchisees nationwide.

Since founding her first studio in San Francisco, Genevieve has seen her vision come alive in the faces of delighted baby dancers, who are developing social and motor skills while having fun. Every day brings opportunities to shape young lives with invaluable early exposure to the joy of movement, creativity and music. It’s hard to imagine a more uplifting franchise mission!

Here are key takeaways from the conversation:

• An entrepreneurial instinct kicked in for Genevieve when she realized that there was a niche to be filled in providing ballet education to very young children.

• Genevieve is a big believer in focusing narrowly on one thing and then excelling at it.

• The vast majority of franchise owners are moms who appreciate that Tutu Schools can be run flexibly and remotely, accommodating family schedules.

• “Magic makers” – carefully vetted and trained teachers – are at the heart of each Tutu School franchise.

• Tutu Schools differentiate themselves with a curriculum, space and focus solely on very young children.

• The ideal Tutu School franchisee can be … anyone! The only absolute requirement is an entrepreneurial spirit.

• It’s time to address the relative imbalance among women franchisees (30% of the market) and franchisors (only 10% of the market)!

Here’s a quick look into the episode:

• About Genevieve’s vision and how she got started developing the Tutu School model.

• A day in the life of a franchisee:

o Outreach to parents of students.

o Hiring and training “magic making” dance teachers.

o Managing and supporting the curriculum and those teaching it.

• Tutu School is (so far) a very unique franchise opportunity without market competitors.

• The franchise model incorporates relationships with other local dance schools to which Tutu graduates can be referred down the line.

• Training and support are central to Genevieve’s franchise concept, including programs and tools that are continually evolving:

o Twirl, an internal platform that houses guides, online courses and a forum to connect with other owners.

o A master teacher who continually rolls out training videos.

o Branding support, including communications templates, social media content, team guidelines for consistent messaging and marketing.

• Tutu School franchises are a great fit for the entrepreneur who could start a dance school on their own – but would rather take advantage of an established brand with a ready-made system of support and community.

• The franchise fee is $42,000 with an overall initial investment totaling between $80,000-$150,000 – depending on the market/location/cost of space.

• Evangelizing for Franchising: Genevieve is all-in on the benefits of this kind of model, which offers both autonomy and community, ownership and opportunities, especially for women, beyond food or fitness concepts.

How do you stay positive when the world around you seems so negative? To achieve success, you must learn to find your inner light and stay positive in yourself and your business.

Karen Pepe is a positivity coach who teaches solopreneurs strategies to create a positive mindset, self-confidence, and resilience to achieve their business goals. She uses her knowledge to boost people up as a positivity coach so they can see their potential.

Karen explains the events that led her to discover her gift and start a business in coaching, speaking, and motivation. Having a morning routine where you affirm your achievements daily and do small scary things that help you get out of your comfort zone will help you build your self-confidence in business.

Listen in to learn how to focus on finding and building your strengths and pivot when you need to instead of getting stuck in the past.

Here are the top takeaways from the conversation:

• How to leverage your gift and start anew in business.

• How not to allow negativity happening in the world and around you to stop you from achieving success.

• How to find your strength and inner light to shine in business.

• Have a morning routine where you affirm your achievements to boost your self-esteem.

• Find and do one scary thing out of your comfort zone to boost your confidence.

• How to stop defining your worth in monetary value as an entrepreneur.

• Tips on how to balance work and family life as a mompreneur.

• Find your strengths and focus on building them and pivot when you need to.

• Keep the right and supportive people in your life to help you stay positive in business.

About Karen

Karen Pepe is a positivity coach who teaches solopreneurs strategies to create a positive mindset, self-confidence, and resilience to achieve their business goals.

Did you know that you can start a successful business without a website? Yes, with the right strategy, you can use platforms like Instagram to organically grow your business.

Mira Chotalia worked as a UX designer, designing mobile apps and websites before her fascination with the human mind led her to coaching. She has a background in psychology and now helps people make a mind-body connection and achieve desired outcomes.

She explains how she grew her coaching business to over 300 clients on Instagram organically and without a website. Websites are not as effective for business owners today, especially when it’s in a highly competitive niche. When it comes to building a business on a social media platform, it is important to consider where most of your traffic is coming from.

If you’re looking to grow your business on Instagram and without a website, then you can’t afford to miss this episode!

Here are the top takeaways from the conversation:

• How to find the root cause of diseases and mindset issues through a mind-body connection.

• The mindset puzzle needed to be solved to help you get to your desired results.

• How to grow a business on Instagram to more than 300 clients organically.

• Think of a platform with the lowest barrier entry when in a highly competitive niche.

• High traffic platforms for businesses that are not websites.

• The importance of having a system and delegating tasks.

• How to schedule work and personal life for balance as a work from home entrepreneur.

• The powerful evening routine that will transform your results.

• Three major steps to take if you want to start a business in coaching.

About Mira Chotalia

Mira is a health and wellness coach and keynote speaker who helps high-achieving work from home 9-5ers hit their big goals while living a balanced life.

Have you ever thought of becoming a franchisee of an education company? To operate a community-minded brand that is focused on offering value and being the best in the community?

Jim and Diane Wilson are both franchisees and franchise development directors at Tutor Doctor. They have been with Tutor Doctor since 2008 and have through innovation survived both the recession and the pandemic. They grew their community-minded franchise through building relationships, recruiting the best, and providing outstanding customer service.

Jim and Diane explain how they’ve been able to differentiate their business from others in the business, plus how they approach tutor recruitment to only hire the best of the best.

Listen in to learn about the Tutor Doctor franchise, the investment you’d have to make, and the benefits you can reap from it.

Here are the top takeaways from the conversation:

● A day in the life of a franchisee – building relationships, recruiting, customer service, and consulting.

● How Tutor Doctor expanded the business from 2% virtual to 100% virtual during the pandemic.

● The value of hiring the best in the industry as a way to differentiate your business.

● How to approach recruitment and achieve a win-win scenario for you and your employees.

● The importance of continuous training for education franchise employees.

● Why community-minded personalities become the highest performing franchisees.

● The Tutor Doctor investment, franchise fee, and the benefits of the investment.

The trajectory from young art student to certified online business manager might not have been straight, but sometimes that’s exactly the point. As Devin Lee explains on this episode of the She Turned Entrepreneur podcast, the journeys we take often provide exactly the education we need to uncover our true vocation in life. For Devin, it was all about finding the right mix of independence and structure, creativity and practicality, logistics and intuition. Her perfect fit didn’t materialize without some false starts and a little serendipity.

As a certified online business manager (OBM), Devin provides a hybrid combination of virtual assistant and business coaching services. She takes tasks off the hands of creative business owners who would otherwise find themselves lost in the weeds. Whether it’s refining schedules, setting up systems for customer management and lead generation, brainstorming marketing materials or building out business plans, Devin wears multiple hats in a virtual workplace that, as a result of pandemic, is fully here to stay. Perhaps her favorite tool of the trade? Quarterly planning, which affords business owners an all-important opportunity to step back from the day-to-day and assess their mission, progress, team and systems.

Devin highlights some of the more common entrepreneurial pitfalls (like over-scheduling or the belief that more commitments equate with better outcomes) and also lays out some of the foundational building blocks for launching a venture (try to prepare by saving, sharpen your mindset and prep a website and other business basics). It’s exciting when you see someone doing exactly what they were meant to do – and loving it. That perfectly describes Devin, who shares resources for anyone who might be interested seeking accreditation in the burgeoning field of online business management.

If you’re an entrepreneur who would like to feel more streamlined and confident next quarter, click here to learn about Devin’s Quarterly Planning Intensive.

Here are key takeaways from the conversation:

• Finding just the right niche for our skills and interests can take a few tries. Don’t give up!

• Even when you’re in a job you like, stay open to other possibilities. Devin would never have found her passion for being an OBM had she not been open to the suggestion.

• OBMs manage logistics, freeing up entrepreneurs to do the creative visioning.

• Devin’s general rule of thumb is that business owners are ready for an OBM once their company is generating about $10k per month in revenue.

• Quarterly reviews afford business owners a chance to catch their breath and review where things are. Devin believes that taking a day off every 90 days to plan for the three months ahead can be invaluable to maintaining steady, robust growth.

• When it comes to time management, sometimes the key question is what are you NOT going to do this week or this month? Apps don’t always = time savings.

Here’s a quick look into the episode:

• (03:00): In her early years Devin was very focused on art, but her college education still included business skills that appealed to her more logistical side. Post-college she launched into the corporate world followed by a stint as a Montessori teacher, but neither were quite the right fit.

• (05:20): Professional organizing finally felt like the right mix of entrepreneurial independence, creativity and skills but the nature of the work was unpredictable so, as a side hustle, Devin became a Virtual Assistant.

• (06:20): It was one of Devin’s VA clients who introduced her to what would become the perfect match for Devin’s skill set and interests: Online Business Manager. Especially once Covid hit and her organizing business was necessarily on hold, the path was clear: She got certification, re-branded and launched her business with immediate success.

• (09:10): Devin defines what an Online Business Manager does – which she views as a cross between Virtual Assistant (taking on and executing tasks) and Business Coaching (helping to shape and create an entrepreneur’s vision).

• (10:10): Among other things she does for her clients:

o Line up Virtual Assistants.

o Vision business roadmaps.

o Put Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and other systems in place.

o Manage logistical tasks that might otherwise bog down business owners.

• (11:31): Most clients decide the time is right to hire an OBM when things are going so well that the momentum starts to feel overwhelming, draining attention away from the creative and visionary aspects of building a venture. In general businesses that are generating revenue of about $10k a month have reached that stage.

• (13:00): It’s easy to get wrapped up in the day-to-day, but Devin believes it’s critically important for business owners to step back regularly to assess the mission, the team, the platforms and the way forward. Regular 90-day reviews can be a game-changer.

• (15:45): Time Management: Being busy does not inherently make us more productive. Devin encourages clients to look at their relationship with time differently, scrutinizing any tendency to over-commit and over-schedule.

• (19:00): About the wisdom of being realistic when it comes to priorities and the number of hours in a day. Calibrating projects and goals appropriately reduces frustration.

• (21:00): Interested in becoming an Online Business Manager? Here are tips for how to get started:

o Check out the international International Association of Business Managers.

o There are numerous Facebook groups that offer support and information.

o Consider dipping a toe in by becoming a Virtual Assistant first.

o Devin highly recommends certification, which she found hugely educational.

o When you’re ready, just jump in!

• (23:00): Tips for listeners pondering the leap from corporate paycheck to entrepreneurial risk:

o Try if possible to give yourself a runaway (ideally a period of a few months) to hunker down before taking the plunge.

o Bank some money.

o Build out a website and other business platforms.

o In addition to getting a business plan in place, get in the right mindset – positive, excited and ready to face the fear!

• (24:18): Recommended Reading:

o "Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less," by Greg McKeown

o "The 12-Week Year," by Brian P. Moran, Michael Lennington.

About Devin:

Devin Lee is a Certified Online Business Manager. She takes the dreams of visionaries who thrive on ideas and puts them into an actionable plan. She loves to outline the ultimate customer journey for clients’ businesses, find the holes and obstacles, and then patch them up. She loves elevating business owners to the next level and watching a newly well-oiled business do its thing. And she loves to teach overwhelmed entrepreneurs how to change their relationship to time. In her spare time, Devin roller skates, listens to podcasts, studies Enneagram, explores the best places to eat Sushi in Portland, and makes new friends.

Sometimes you have to start before you’re ready and learn along the way. For Melanie Wood, the plunge into entrepreneurism was simultaneously about rebelling against an unhappy work situation and recognizing a workplace gap she knew she could fill. An international leadership speaker, as well as best-selling author, Melanie developed her expertise by watching, listening and then organically evolving tools and programs that enhance communications in all kinds of environments, both live and virtual!

Whether managers, executives or simply members of a team – many of us struggle with getting our messages across – something Melanie intuitively knew she could help others to do better. So she took the leap and started Speaking Styles, an approach that turns even the most shy and tentative among us into natural storytellers and self-confident public speakers.

Although she saw trendlines that suggested more and more business would be done online, Melanie could never have predicted the global pandemic that has turbocharged her company’s growth. Based in Australia, she has been able to jump in and put at ease clients who have had no choice but to “appear” on screens – whether a live Insta feed or a corporate Zoom presentation. Feel jittery whenever you have to speak publicly? Melanie offers nerve-soothing suggestions such as:

o Simply acknowledge that you’re afraid.

o Create a worst case scenario and then envision the tools you might use to respond to even the most embarrassing communications gaffe.

o Remember that there are many people out there, most of them silent, who are actually interested in and touched by what you have to say.

With her empathetic style and creative approach, Melanie walks us through how she went from herself being petrified of public speaking to creating safe spaces in which even the shyest among us are able to find courage and an authentic, effective voice.

You can watch Melanie in action with video content posted here or download her free guide, “Become the Butterfly: 15 Steps to Make Your Public Speaking a Success.” If you’d like to speak directly with Melanie, you can also book a free consultation.

Click here to listen to, rate and review this or previous episodes.

Here are key takeaways from the conversation:

• Rebel against authority? There are ways to use that tendency to your advantage!

• Sometimes you just have to take a leap, even if you don’t have a Plan B in place.

• When once-in-a-life events (like pandemic) occur, look for and seize opportunities.

• The HeartMath Institute offers tools for managing breath and regulating our hearts, which connect directly with our brains and how we process situations.

• Melanie offers a reminder that 90% of people never “like” or comment on content we post – many of whom are interested in what we have to say or offer.

Here’s a quick look into the episode:

• (03:30): About Melanie’s background, including a management career ladder that proved unfulfilling, and how the journey ultimately led her to carve out an entrepreneurial niche.

• (07:22): Launching without a Plan B: Melanie quit her job without having all the details worked out for a next step. She just knew she was done and meant for something better.

• (08:08): Melanie developed her communications and facilitation programs organically, based on opportunities first with friends and then as a contract employee.

• (09:57): The business today has evolved to feature:

o One-on-one coaching.

o Group programs for business owners seeking more authentic communications.

o A membership community built around cultivating effective communications.

• (11:24): The pandemic shift to online video communications has fueled significant growth in Melanie’s business and a broader platform through which to spread her message virtually.

• (14:20): What it means to speak from the heart. Melanie emphasizes the importance of authenticity and really seeing people for who they are, bringing humanity and compassion for the workplace struggles so many of us experience.

• (15:10): Melanie took a course through the HeartMath Institute to learn techniques she shares with others to help them process emotions and stress with heart-centered breathing.

• (18:25): How to help people who suffer anxiety navigate – and accept – their fears in a world where speaking live on video is increasingly unavoidable. Melanie believes the starting point is to accept worst case scenarios – the worst possible feelings of rejection or embarrassment – and then create coping strategies.

• (22:25): Remember that 90% of viewers/listeners may not comment or interact, but if you keep showing up many will reach out and contact you when they’re ready.

• (23:15): What Melanie wishes she knew way back when:

o You’ve got to take the first step and risk. Don’t wait until you have everything prepared and perfectly aligned. That day likely will never come.

o Focus initially on one offering and develop from there.

o Start posting on social media and showing up right away.

o Don’t be afraid to seek help, whether a coach, a course or YouTube videos.

o Consider joining an online group or participating in networking events.

About Melanie:

Melanie is an International Female Leadership Speaker, Best-selling Author and Founder/Owner of Speaking Styles, an organization that works with Business Owners, Entrepreneurs, Managers and Leaders to step up, step out and lead with speaking and communication.

This episode of the She Turned Entrepreneur Podcast features a product so irresistible that Shark Tank ate it up. Sharon Mettra, franchise development at Press Waffle, shares the story of how this family-owned business, founded in 2016, evolved from a food truck to a rapidly expanding national franchise. It all starts with the waffle – a Belgian waffle, unlike anything you’ve tasted at Denny’s or IHOP. Today they are a draw at food halls featuring artisanal offerings (and a rapidly expanding menu) in former big-box spaces and other bricks-and-mortar spaces.

The franchise model, overseen by millennial founder Bryan Lewis, takes a fresh approach in terms of collaboration and accommodation to variables such as location and hours. Having returned to fully family-owned status, the company supports new franchisees with a two-part training module featuring a week of coaching at headquarters in Dallas followed by a week of onsite support from seasoned veterans who know how to roll out the business, whether owner-operated or run by a trusted team.

The all-in cost ranges between $250,000-$300,000, generally inclusive of the $35,000 franchise fee. Sharon has been in the franchise space for some time and has enjoyed seeing this new enterprise take off. With locations already based throughout the Midwest, Press Waffle is expanding rapidly.

Here are key takeaways from the conversation:

• Press Waffle is 100% under family ownership and operation.

• The Belgian waffle is unique in the U.S. market (although Sharon has seen competitors start to pop up).

• Most of the profit thus far has come from the “indulgent” food category but standard meals are being integrated into the menu.

• Training includes two modules: One at the home office in Dallas and a follow-up onsite.

• The toughest part of the process is learning how to properly cook the Belgian waffle.

• Currently the majority of Press Waffle outlets are located in the Midwest region.

• The franchise’s founder, a millennial, likes to “color outside the lines” and is excited to establish a fluid new iteration of the franchise model.

Here’s a quick look into the episode:

• Sharon shares the sweet tale of Press Waffle’s success, starting as a food truck that grew into a franchise entity located mostly at food halls, which are usually former big-box spaces transformed into a mix of artisanal restaurants and boutique food experiences.

• Most recently Press Waffle has expanded into bricks-and-mortar standalones, which has allowed for an expansion of offerings, including alcohol at some locations.

• Although Shark Tank’s Barbara Corcoran made an initial $300k investment, Press Waffle is today fully under the family’s control.

• Press Waffle’s onboarding/training process consists of:

1. A seven-day onsite visit in Dallas, including up to three team members.

2. For those owners who prefer to stay in the background, the franchise trains managers/surrogates.

3. Following training, Press Waffle staff come onsite to help franchisees with setup and troubleshooting.

4. Support is ongoing throughout the franchise’s lifecycle.

• Sharon says learning to produce Belgian waffles to standard is the toughest part.

• Typically the franchise runs with about 10 full-time staff.

• What makes for an ideal Press Waffle franchisee:

1. Individuals who would like to build a long-term partnership and relationship.

2. People with a passion for the brand and growing it.

• The start-up investment: The franchise fee is $35,000. Overall buildout is generally $250,000-$300,000, depending on square footage.

• Some of Press Waffle’s unique franchise attributes:

1. Royalties are based on a daily sales scale, starting at 2%.

2. As an investment in giving back, vendors are locally sourced wherever possible.

3. There is proprietary flexibility in setting hours of operation based on culture, location and other factors.

Sarah Ariaudo has worked in oncology, treating patients, and managing cancer centers for over two decades. Her job required her to travel every 11-12 weeks, causing stress that slowly showed up as health issues. As a high-performing, ambitious woman, the thought of slowing down also felt uncomfortable. So, when her company underwent a massive reorganization, Sarah decided to take the opportunity to branch out and start her own consulting firm – and crushed it! In just four years, her company grew to a high SIX-FIGURE consulting services organization.

But her entrepreneurial story only began there...

After Sarah took a year-long break upon becoming a mom, she realized her life lacked a work-life boundary. The thought of balance and mental space became so strong that it took the form of a business idea, and Sarah started another company; but this time, she shifted her focus from consulting and implementations to mindfulness and mental well-being. Sarah’s new business centered around bringing mindfulness into cancer centers.

She joins me for this episode of She Turned Entrepreneur to narrate her inspiring journey as a passionate entrepreneur who is convinced about the importance of giving your mind the space it needs to grow.

Sarah and I dive into many other things, including:

>> Why you need to dedicate time for self-care: You must recharge and relax so you can bounce back as an entrepreneur. When you are positive and energetic, you’re able to transmit it to your employees too.

>> Why you must learn to say no: Prioritizing your time is important. If you keep saying yes to every work that pops up, how would you give yourself the time to pause, reflect, and re-charge?

>> How to gain confidence during speaking events: Slow down, formulate your thoughts, and be yourself while you speak. Your intention isn’t to please people; it is to speak your mind truthfully and completely.

>> Why you must follow your gut: Until you believe in yourself, no one else will. If your gut says yes, go for it. No second thoughts.

>> And more!

Tune in to She Turned Entrepreneur to learn all about it.

About Sarah

Sarah Ariaudo is a speaker, facilitator, author and entrepreneur. She is the Founder of Mindful Based Healing LLC, where she helps cancer patients balance mentally and emotionally.