You can change the world with your business, or at the very least, change your community. Amy Peterson is living proof. She’s the co-founder and CEO of Rebel Nell, a Detroit-based social enterprise that employs and empowers women with barriers to employment, including women coming out of shelters, rebuilding after incarceration, surviving domestic violence, or navigating life as refugees. Rebel Nell turns repurposed graffiti into one-of-a-kind jewelry, creating jobs, building confidence, and offering wraparound support that changes lives.

Before founding Rebel Nell in 2013, Amy spent over a decade in Major League Baseball as Associate Counsel for the Detroit Tigers, chasing her dream of becoming the first female GM. But the challenges she faced as a woman in sports, along with friendships formed with women living at a local shelter, sparked a bigger mission: to create a sustainable, triple bottom line business that puts people, profit, and purpose at its core.

In this inspiring conversation, Amy shares how she went from the corporate sports world to conscious entrepreneurship, the realities of breaking cycles of poverty, and why confidence-building can be the most powerful outcome of all. We talk about leadership, resilience, the hustle of running a small business, and the ripple effects of giving women the opportunity to shine. If you’ve ever wondered how to turn your passion into impact, this episode will show you what’s possible when you lead with both heart and grit.

Chapters

00:00 Meet Amy Peterson, Co-Founder & CEO of Rebel Nell

02:15 From Detroit Tigers to conscious entrepreneurship

05:10 How friendships at a women’s shelter sparked a social enterprise

08:45 Turning repurposed graffiti into one-of-a-kind jewelry

12:00 Creating jobs for women facing homelessness, incarceration, and abuse

16:30 Building confidence and breaking cycles of poverty

20:50 The realities of running a triple bottom line business

25:00 Lessons from women in sports and leadership resilience

29:15 Community support and the turning point for Rebel Nell

34:20 The hustle, risk, and rewards of small business ownership

38:00 The ripple effect: housing, cars, and career breakthroughs for team members

42:15 How to support Rebel Nell and women-owned social enterprises

The Powerful Ladies podcast, hosted by business coach and strategist Kara Duffy features candid conversations with entrepreneurs, creatives, athletes, chefs, writers, scientists, and more. Every Wednesday, new episodes explore what it means to lead with purpose, create with intention, and define success on your own terms.

Whether you're growing a business, changing careers, or asking bigger questions, these stories remind you: you're not alone, and you're more powerful than you think.

Explore more at thepowerfulladies.com and karaduffy.com.

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