Maz Schirmer is recognized as a pioneer in the area of women’s self-development.  She is the Director/Founder of the Institute of Women International and the creator of Creatrix, which focuses on the Female Brain/Mind Process.  Maz is a respected author and innovator who has dedicated her life to transforming and empowering the lives of other women.

I wanted to talk to Maz to learn more about her journey and her approach to personal development.

Her philosophy:

Her advice to aspiring female entrepreneurs

• Re-frame how you see yourself.
• True beliefs are those that will allow you to stand in your authentic truth.

Links

• http://mazschirmer.com.au/
• http://instituteofwomen.com/

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It takes a great idea plus tenacity and action to make it all happen.  Sheila Benjamin is the creator of ZipMyself which is a 2 in 1 dressing tool.  Sheila has a great combination of courage, persistence and curiosity and I wanted to learn more about her inspiring journey.

Sheila says, "ZipMyself is a 2 in 1 Dressing Tool that can assist you with zipping the back of your dress and help you button your blouse or shirt.  I love wearing dresses but I often need help with zipping the back. One day, I forgot to ask a friend to zip down my dress after an event and it took me 20 minutes to get out of the dress.  I searched Google for 2 hours and couldn't find anything to help me solve my problem. Something said "you can make what you want to see in the marketplace."  So, I started bringing ZipMyself to life in Jan. 2014 and it has been a real roller coaster ride!  I had no experience in this space however I am living my dream of being a business owner and loving it!

Her philosophy:

Her advice to aspiring female entrepreneurs

• Research your idea and find a way to get it to the marketplace.  Research counts toward bringing your vision to life.  Take advantage of all of the free information that's available.
• If you can see it in your mind's eye, you can do it.  You don't have to know everything.  For everything you don't know, you will connect with people on your journey who can support your vision and propel you forward.

Links

• www.zipmyself.com
• Getting Stuck Changed My Life By Sheila Benjamin
• QVC Sprouts Program

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Kirstyn Shaw has had a penchant for fashion since she started sewing at the age of six, but it wasn't until she had her "quarter life crisis" that she decided to make a career out of it. With a bachelor's degree from UCLA and a degree in apparel manufacturing from the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM), Kirstyn wasted no time diving into the business. In 2008 she began designing and producing eco-friendly women's clothing for kika with her mom, Kim Shaw. While Kirstyn is a production wizard and has built great relationships in the business, her true passion is at the intersection of technology, sustainability, and fashion.

I wanted to talk to Kirstyn to learn more about the business models she has explored.

Her Business Philosophy: 

Do unto others as you would have done unto you - show kindness and respect in your relationships.

Her advice to female entrepreneurs

• Don't fall in love with your inventory.  Inventory can be one of the biggest killers in a business.
• Know what you're good at and delegate the rest.  Delegation is key.

Links

• http://www.natalieattired.com/
• https://www.shopkika.com/

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Sheila Kemper Dietrich created elegant portion control. After years of waging the war against obesity and longing to embrace a healthier lifestyle, she began researching and experimenting with the concept of “right-sizing” the food environment.

I wanted to talk to Sheila because she’s a really great example of someone who designs products by listening to and empathizing with the end consumer.   As a result, she’s been able to build her business through deep understanding.

Her Business Philosophy: 

"I am one but still I am one.  I cannot do everything but i can do something.  i will not refuse to do the something I can do."     ~Helen Keller

Be willing to say yes to opportunity

What does it mean to be Queen Bee?

Really proving that the vision, the idea was worthy - that it is something that is helpful to people...

Her advice to female entrepreneurs

• Go for it; believe and then seek advice for others from those who can help you with their insight and knowledge
• Enjoy the journey
• Don't do it if you don't think it's a fun thing

Links

• http://www.livligahome.com/

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Kelly Weinberger is on a mission to create positive change in the world through the practice of 360° fair trade.  She is the founder of WorldFinds, a brand of ethically-sourced, style-driven jewelry and accessories that empowers women in the developing world through fair trade. 

Often when I travel, I see products that are not sold in the U.S. but could be very useful.  However, I wasn't quite sure about how to bring those products back to the U.S. for commercial purposes.  The conversation with Kelly helped me to better understand how to develop products through collaboration with small business owners in other countries.

Sharon Bolt is a publicity expert and founder of Get Free Publicity Today.    She has contributed to more than 40 different local and national newspapers, magazines, television and radio stations and is the co-author of 2 highly acclaimed books.  The wonderful thing about Sharon is that she teaches people step by step how to get their businesses featured in the press.  As we all know, awareness is needed in order to make product launches successful.  However, it can be difficult to get the word out.  I wanted to get Sharon's thoughts on how to get publicity and media attention without spending an exorbitant amount of money.  

Her Philosophy

Follow your bliss.    ~Joseph Campbell

Whether you think you can or you think you can't, you're right.         ~Henry Ford

Her advice to aspiring female entrepreneurs

When you're making your transition to becoming a business owner, base it on your financial situation.

Links

• www.getfreepublicitytoday.com
• Successful Women in Business
• Every Entrepreneurs Guide: Running Your Own Business
• www.radioguestlist.com

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Francesca Kuglen is a serial entrepreneur who started her first company after college and sold it years later to Newell-Rubbermaid.  Francesca Kuglen has numerous patents that have been successfully licensed to large corporations.  Finding customers is a huge challenge for many small businesses.    I wanted to talk to Francesca because she has really great insight on how to create strategic brand alliances that lead to increased awareness and success of the products that she develops. 

More about Francesca...

Francesca connects with audiences, entertaining and inspiring them through her honest, funny stories of what launching companies without venture capital really takes. She appeared on QVC for 20 years, hosted her own one-hour show, and has manufactured her products in the USA and internationally.

Her Philosophy

What does it prosper a woman to gain the world and lose her soul?    -from The Bible

Her advice to aspiring female entrepreneurs

• Move beyond fear and make a prototype out of everyday items to get started
• To manufacture less volume, work with an American manufacturer

Links

• Resilience: Hard-Won Wisdom for Living a Better Life By Eric Greitens
• The Great Game of Business, Expanded and Updated: The Only Sensible Way to Run a Company by Jack Stack
• Upwork
• Fiverr

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Laura Dotolo has spent many years in the fashion industry designing, developing and manufacturing a variety of handbags and fashion accessories.  She is the creator of Clutch Bags New York and  she consults with other women to help them to launch  products. 

I wanted to talk to Laura to learn more about the specific steps and knowledge needed to create handbags.  In addition, based on previous interviews, some manufacturers require minimum order quantities that can sometimes be cost prohibitive for those who are just starting a business.  So, I wanted to get Laura's thoughts on how to work around this particular obstacle.  Our conversation was very enlightening.

Lisa Owusu has a background in law yet she's created an exquisite line of jewelry.  I'm excited about this episode because Lisa goes into some detail about how she found people to help her.  During our conversation, she posed a really important question, "How do I excite people to want to help me build a brand?"  This is something to really consider.  I truly believe that having a supportive team is critical to success both in the corporate world and as a small business owner. 

As entrepreneurs, sometimes we think that we have to do it all ourselves but this is simply not true.  In the corporate world, you're typically part of a team - so, having support is mostly automatic.  For the small business owner, especially when you're just starting out, having a team is still really important.  However, it takes resources (financial and otherwise) to create this team.  Due to the nature of small business, the answer is not as simple as just hiring someone.  We have to be both creative and courageous enough to reach out to others.  Talking to Lisa really helped me to understand how important it is to build relationships while building a business.

Her business philosophy

• Be courageous; always have courage.

Her advice to aspiring female entrepreneurs….

• Have a passion for the business - something that roots you and grounds you as to why you do what you do.

Links

http://www.charltonandlola.com

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Tanya Patxot is a business coach and strategist.  She teaches entrepreneurs how to streamline life and simplify business.  I wanted to talk to Tanya because the story of her life is very interesting and she has great insight on gaining clarity when venturing into a small business.