Woman Inc.

Hello my beautiful Woman Inc. listeners! My guest this week is Laura Hertz, the co-founder and CEO of Gifts for Good: an innovative, millennial-driven, and socially conscious startup whose mission is to disrupt the world of business gifting. As an agent of change for both large corporations and smaller companies alike, Gifts for Good’s digital platform is the only resource in the $100 billion corporate gifting industry that curates premium and purposeful gifts that give back.  

Laura dedicated two years of her life to national community service work with AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC)— a team-based federal service program that has been deemed the Domestic Peace Corps. She is the recipient of the Bronze Congressional Service Medal—the highest award for young adults given by any U.S. legislative body—which recognizes “initiative, service and achievement” in young Americans.

Laura studied Business Administration at UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business and later earned her Master’s in Social Entrepreneurship at the University of Southern California Marshall School of Business. She is a frequent speaker on social enterprise, cause marketing, and the role of innovation and corporate social responsibility in philanthropy. 

Her work has been featured in Inc., U.S. News & World Report, CNBC, and the TODAY Show. In 2020, Laura was named a Forbes Magazine recipient ‘30 Under 30’ in the Social Entrepreneur category. Though originally from New York, she has been fortunate enough to live in a diverse slew of countries, including China, Spain, and South Africa, and to have traveled through 22 countries and 49 states. She currently serves on the National Board of Directors for the American Cancer Society. 

So essentially, she is complete saint and also an incredible business woman. I loved chatting with Laura about the mission behind Gifts for Good and how she got started. If you are passionate about building a cause centered business, this is a gold mine of wisdom for you. You can find Laura on Instagram @hertzforgood. 

Now, let’s get over to my conversation with Laura. 

Happy Friday beautiful people! This week’s episode is extra special because it is the first time I have interviewed two founders at once. 

Michelle Larivee and Dr. Shari Auth are the co-founders of  WTHN. the first omni-channel brand for holistic healing rooted in Traditional Chinese Medicine. WTHN offers at-home healing through acupressure tools, organic herbal supplements, ancient beauty tools and more, as well as in-person healing at their acupuncture retail studio in Flatiron -- NYC’s wellness hub.

Michelle has a BSFS from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, an MBA from the Wharton School and an MA from the University of Pennsylvania. She has spoken on numerous panels and conferences and was featured in Inc. Magazine’s 100 Women Building America’s Most Ambitious Businesses in 2019.
Chinese medicine was Michelle’s saving grace after a devastating ski accident left her with chronic pain. She believes in sharing natural solutions for pain, stress and other ailments with the masses.

Dr. Shari is a Doctor of Chinese Medicine, licensed acupuncturist and Board Certified Herbalist with decades of experience treating patients globally. While her credentials speak for themselves, her roster of celebrity clients like Olivia Wilde, Yoko Ono and Sting speak to the profound impact of her unique and heartfelt approach to healing.

Dr. Shari is the mastermind behind WTHN’s treatment method and herbal blends. She’s devoted her life to helping people live happier, fuller lives.

Make sure to tune in and tell us your favorite part! Also, make sure to stop into their wellness studio if you are in NYC. It is fullllly heaven. Enjoy!!

XOJT

Hello my beautiful woman inc. listeners. How is everyone doing? I don’t know if it’s because we’ve just entered the forth quarter of the year, but I’ve been feeling so motivated to just go out and create all of the things I want to do. You know, just that “what do I have to lose energy?” It’s a very freeing feeling. Before I introduce my guest this week, I just wanted to say that I watch the listenership for this podcast grow every single day and it’s not lost on me that those numbers are real people out there lives and I really want to get to know you guys. I really want to do something live. Are we all burnt out from zoom? I just want to see you all and chat because this community is really powerful. And there are VC investors who listen to woman inc, there are entrepreneurs, and so many amazing powerful women on the other end of this recording, AND I just want to be part of some entrepreneurial love stories, like “we were both part of the woman inc community, I invested in her business and we made millions. I just want it to all start at woman inc. SO if you’re listening and we haven’t met, please message me. Please say hi. And tell me if you’d be into some type of live woman inc event.

Ok let’s get into introducing my incredible guest this week. Andrea Lisbona is the founder and CEO of Touchland, the revolutionary brand of hand sanitizers that combine sleek, functional packaging with non-sticky, moisturizing, luxurious-feeling formulas that come in eight amazing scents. Setting out to disrupt the commoditized hand sanitizer industry, Andrea ran a Kickstarter campaign in 2018, which resulted in the brand reaching 450% of its initial fundraising goal and more than 1,500 pre-orders for the product in just one month. In Touchland's first year of business, the brand enjoyed success largely driven by their community of social media followers (until recently, this community was grown and fostered directly by Andrea herself!). In that year, Touchland surpassed over $2M in sales and landed retail distribution with ULTA, Urban Outfitters, Revolve, Liberty London, Sephora Mexico & many more. Touchland was instantly embraced by celebrities and influencers alike; the brand now counts Kris Jenner, Kesha, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Tyra Banks, and many more! 

Now, Touchland has been expanding into new retail partnerships with Target, Bloomingdales, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom and many more. Additionally, the brand's KUB Hand Sanitizer Dispenser--which is the first internet-connected solution of its kind--has exploded to represent 50% of their business, with strategic partners like Equinox, Louis Vuitton, Sweetgreen, Marriott and dozens more. All the while, Touchland has been donating their hand sanitizers to hospitals and teachers to assist those working on the frontlines during the pandemic.

Andrea is originally from Barcelona and relocated to the US in 2018 in order to manage the growth of Touchland from the US. I can’t wait for your guys to hear just her fire, you can feel her passion and she is a quintessential entrepreneur and I love to bring women like this onto the show because that energy is contagious. Alright, let’s get over to my conversation with Andrea. 

Hello my beautiful woman inc listeners. I am so excited to introduce my guest this week, Kaylin Marcotte. Kaylin is the founder & CEO of JIGGY, a direct-to-consumer jigsaw puzzle brand on a mission to modernize and elevate the humble jigsaw, and support female artists around the world. You may have seen her on Shark Tank, where she landed a major deal with billionaire investor Mark Cuban. Each Jiggy box comes with puzzle glue and a straight edge so you can turn your finished puzzle into a gorgeous art piece which are designed by female artists around the world who receive a portion of every sale. They are honestly so pretty and I am obsessed with all of their collaborations. You can find Kaylin on instagram at @kaylinmarcotte and @jiggypuzzles. Now, let’s get over to my conversation with Kaylin.

Hello my beautiful woman inc listeners. We are switching it up with a Wednesday episode and have some very exciting things happening on the Woman Inc. front that I can’t wait to share with you. Until then, I am beyond excited to introduce today’s guest. In this week’s episode I had the honor of speaking with Sunaina Sinha, one of the most powerful woman in finance, about how she built her empire. Only 5% of private equity leaders are women. Sunaina has managed to become a private equity star by founding Cebile Capital, a leading placement agent and secondary market advisor that oversees billions of dollars in deals per year. 

Moving to different countries growing up is what helped Sunaina build a thick skin every time she was the only woman in the room. Using different tactics to fit into a heavily male dominated industry, Sunaina has owned and managed her firm for over 10 years now. In addition, Cebile Capital recently got acquired by a major public company.

Sunaina obtained a Bachelors of Science degree in Management Science and Engineering, as well as a Masters of Science degree in Chemical Engineering, both from Stanford University. She then went on to receive her MBA from Harvard Business School.

I could spend probably an hour just listing Sunaina’s accomplishments, but I think my favorite part of the episode is when she talk about how she stays centered and grounded. I hope you enjoy, and now, let’s get over to my conversation with Sunaina.

Hello my beautiful listeners. My guest today is the incredible Lara Vandenberg, the CEO & Founder of Publicist, the company redefining the way brands hire Communications and Marketing talent. Publicist is the online marketplace to source premium pre vetted marketing and communication experts on demand.  Prior to Publicist and over the course of her career, Lara has led Communications & Marketing from high growth tech and consumer startups to large enterprises. Lara was named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 list and the B&T 30 Under 30 list for innovation in advertising. 

Lara and I chat about her journey leading up to starting Publicist and what it takes to set yourself apart as an entrepreneur. I took notes after our recording because she brought so much wisdom is this short episode that I know will serve so many of you. You can find Lara on Instagram @laravandenberg and @publicistco. Now, let’s get over to my conversation with Lara.

Hello my beautiful Woman Inc. listeners! I am so excited to introduce you to today’s guest.  Elisabeth Jones-Hennessy is the Founder & CEO of GiftMeChic.

If you haven’t heard of the e-commerce platform, it is my new favorite place to find the most gorgeous gifts. I pride myself on my gift giving abilities, so I loved our conversation around curating the site and her mindset behind building a gift-focused company with brands from around the world.

Elisabeth has an incredibly impressive background. She is a former buyer for luxury retailers including Bergdorf Goodman and Saks Fifth Avenue, and was the first to exclusively launch Kilian Perfumes in the United States, later becoming the CEO of Kilian Perfumes for North America.

You can find Elisabeth on Instagram @elisabethjoneshennessy and @giftmechic

Now, let’s get over to my conversation with Elisabeth.

My guest this week is, Seema Bansal, the Co-Founder of Venus ET Fleur, a bespoke rose atelier with a mission to transform the online floral industry.

You may know them as the gorgeous boxes filled with real roses that last an entire year and beloved by clients, tastemakers, and celebrities.

In 2018, Seema and her Co-Founder (who also happens to be her husband) were named one of Forbes 30 Under 30 honorees. She has also served as keynote speaker for the 2018 SheRunsIt GenNext Awards, and most recently, received an exclusive invite to be a part of Marie Claire’s annual Power Trip Summit.

In this episode, Seema and I chat about the early days of starting her company with her new boyfriend at the time, and how every major step in their entrepreneurial journey unfolded along the way. Seema shares how she stays grounded and in her power in the midst of running a rapidly growing company. I hope you love this episode as much as I loved recording it!

You can find Seema on instagram @seemabansalchadha and @venusetfleur.

As always, meet us in the comments section on Instagram @womanincpodcast to let us know your favorite part and to show Seema some love.

Now, let’s get over to my conversation with Seema.

Hello again my beautiful people,  the episode you are about to listen to is one of my favorite recordings I’ve done to date. My guest this week is Gail Becker, the Founder and CEO of CAULIPOWER, the third fastest growing food brand in America and available in over 25,000 stores and 5,000 restaurants nationwide.

Gail’s experience spans journalism, political campaigns, government and marketing, having held senior positions in a myriad of industries and organizations including: Edelman, Warner Bros. and the US Department of Health; Human Services. She also has a Master of Science degree in journalism from Northwestern University and a Bachelor of Science in political science from UCLA.

Gail achieved all of this as the mother of two fantastic boys. When they were diagnosed with celiac disease at an early age, Gail was disappointed that the gluten-free options in grocery stores were limited, unhealthy, and didn’t taste great. So she left her job in corporate America to do something about it and launched CAULIPOWER in 2017 with a mission to reinvent America’s favorite comfort foods to be tasty, convenient and nutritious.

In this episode, Gail walked me through her experience of becoming an entrepreneur in an industry to which she was entirely new. Towards the end of the episode, Gail said that something that has stuck with me ever since” “If you don’t bet on yourself, no one else will.” PLEASE do yourself a favor and listen to this entire episode and share it with someone you love. Gail left me so inspired and full of energy, and I know she’ll do the same for you.

To receive a coupon link for any free CAULIPOWER product, simply send them a DM on social media @CAULIPOWER and mention, ‘Woman Inc. Podcast.” You can find Gail on Instagram @gailbecker.

Now let’s get over to my conversation with Gail. ✨✨

Hello my beautiful people! Today’s guest is Mélanie Masarin, the founder & CEO of Ghia, an alcohol-free spirit designed to change the way we think about drinking and socializing.

Mélanie was previously the Creative Director and Head of Marketing of Dig Inn, where she led the rebrand of the company overseeing everything from messaging, communication, store design, branding, digital presence, paid advertising, and offline marketing.

Most recently, Mélanie was the Head of Retail and Offline Experiences at Glossier where she led the offline and experiential strategy including creative direction of their showrooms, developing pop-ups, and conceptualizing permanent spaces.

We chat about her experiences leading up to becoming a founder and her journey after she decided to make the jump. I hope you love this episode and lean into all of the wisdom that Mélanie brings. You can find Mélanie on Instagram at @melaniemasarin and @drinkghia. If you love this episode, make sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode.  Now, let’s get over to my conversation with Mélanie.