Woman-Run

In this episode of Women Run, we sit down with Kathleen Lawson, the Executive Director of Economics Arkansas. Kathleen shares her unexpected journey from a nonprofit leader to a successful "cocoa bomb" entrepreneur, sparked by a simple $10-Challenge.

Whether you are looking to start a side hustle or simply want to innovate in your current career, Kathleen breaks down how entrepreneurial thinking is a foundational life skill.

Key Takeaways

• The $10-Challenge: Kathleen turned a small experiment into a business that sold over $25,000 in products and reached 13 stores across Arkansas within a single year.
• Economics as a Life Skill: Economics isn't just about money; it’s the science of decision-making and understanding scarcity to make better choices in life and citizenship.
• Entrepreneurial Habits: Transitioning from "safe" thinking to "opportunity" thinking allows you to see problems as solvable business or mission-driven opportunities.

5 Ways to Think Like an Entrepreneur

1. Just Get Started: Don't wait for perfection. Kathleen started with a single photo on Facebook; the LLC, branding, and packaging all came later.
2. Embrace a Growth Mindset: Stay in a "learner" mode. Be willing to test new products and fail in order to find what truly resonates with your audience.
3. Know When to Pivot (or Stop): Recognizing when a project no longer fits your passion or scale is a skill, not a failure. Kathleen discusses her "long walk" strategy for making these tough decisions.
4. Focus on Your Unique Value: Understand specialization. Focus on what you are uniquely good at (like decorating) and delegate or automate the rest (like making boxes).
5. Look for Opportunities Everywhere: Train your brain to see "dollars" or solutions in everyday problems. High-level hiring often looks for this specific trait in employees.

Notable Quotes

"Economics is really just the science of decision-making... it really is such a foundation for life." — Kathleen Lawson

"I realized I could have very little risk and great reward by just taking a chance." — Kathleen Lawson

In this episode, Meredith Lowry sits down with Shaheen Lokhandwala, the founder of Kinwork, to discuss the critical role of social capital in the success of startups. They dive into new research concerning "community-facing" businesses in Northwest Arkansas—such as coffee shops, florists, and bookstores—and how these owners often feel excluded from traditional entrepreneurial spaces. The conversation provides a roadmap for creating "affinity groups" that foster trust, resource sharing, and technical skill development.

Key Takeaways

• The Power of Social Capital: Beyond financial capital, a business’s social capital—the strength of its networks—is one of the highest indicators of startup success.
• Support for "Main Street" Businesses: Local, community-facing businesses (often labeled "lifestyle" or "mom and pop" shops) often feel a legitimacy gap and lack the specific support structures available to tech-based startups.
• The Problem with Traditional Pitching: Traditional networking environments, like Chambers of Commerce, often require a "high-energy" pitch that doesn't align with the energy or needs of many small business owners.
• Organic Peer Groups: Successful networking often happens organically outside of formal programs, where owners text each other for advice or refer customers to one another.
• The Affinity Group Model: Creating structured "affinity groups" (based on industry, like tattoo artists, or identity, like queer-owned businesses) allows for deeper trust and specialized problem-solving.
• Demystifying "Technical Skills": Technical skills aren't just for coding; for a small business, they include essential functions like payroll, legal compliance, marketing, and navigating AI tools.
• How do I build a business network?

Episode Title: The Art of Intentional Networking

Networking doesn't have to be a daunting chore. In the second episode of Season 2, host Meredith Lowry is joined by Shaheen Lokhandwala, founder of Kinwork, to discuss how to navigate professional events with purpose and grace. Whether you are a busy parent or a seasoned entrepreneur, this conversation offers tactical advice on building a community that supports both your business and your personal life.

Key Takeaways

• Broaden Your Objectives: Networking is more than just finding customers; it’s about finding marketing partners, co-hosts, and collaborators who can help you grow in unexpected ways.
• Do Your Homework: Before arriving at an event, check the RSVP list on LinkedIn or Facebook to identify two or three specific people you want to connect with.
• The "3-Stranger Rule": It is easy to stay in your comfort zone with friends. Challenge yourself to speak to at least three people you don't know at every event.
• Utilize the Buddy System: Having a "wing person" allows you to introduce one another and highlight each other's accomplishments, which reduces individual anxiety.
• Prepare Your "Spiel": Have a 30-second introduction ready so you can confidently explain who you are and what you do without stumbling.
• One-on-One Alternatives: If large rooms feel overwhelming, try reaching out for 20-minute intentional coffee meetings or engaging in focused online communities.
• Know When to "Nope Out": Give yourself permission to leave an event if it doesn't feel right or if you find yourself surrounded by aggressive sales pitches.
• How do I network effectively as a small business owner?

In this episode of the Woman Run Podcast, host Rickie Smith sits down with Meg Green, a Registered Dietitian and Integrated and Functional Nutrition Certified Practitioner. Meg shares her personal and professional evolution from working in pediatric oncology at St. Jude to launching her own virtual functional medicine practice.

Key Discussion Points:

• Meg’s Career Evolution: Her journey from clinical pediatrics to discovering functional medicine after facing her own undiagnosed autoimmune challenges.
• Functional vs. Traditional Medicine: Understanding the "root cause" approach to health—moving beyond masking symptoms to true healing.
• The Gap in Women’s Research: A look at why women were excluded from medical studies until 1993 and how that affects modern hormonal health.
• Hormonal Health & Perimenopause: Validating symptoms like brain fog, sleep disruptions, and fatigue that are often dismissed as "just stress".
• Building a Business: The challenges of moving from a medical mindset to an entrepreneurial one, and the importance of a support "village".
• The Power of Personalization: Why there is no such thing as a universal "superfood" and how bio-individuality dictates nutrition.

Connect with Meg Green:

• Website: meggreenrd.com
• Instagram: @meggreen_rd
• Email: [email protected]

The Woman Run Podcast is a production of Wright Lindsey Jennings, dedicated to sharing the stories of women who inspire us.

In this episode, we welcome back Robin Atkinson, a veteran of the fashion industry and CEO and Founder of Upkept. A creative leader dedicated to sustainable fashion and workforce development in the sewn trades.

Robin shares the story behind Upkept, from the initial beta launch using a simple website form to building a proprietary tech platform that simplifies apparel repair for the modern consumer. We dive deep into the environmental impact of "fast fashion," the disappearing craft of tailoring, and how Upkept is bridging the gap between traditional skills and 21st-century convenience.

Takeaways:

• The Upkept Mission: Upkept is designed to make apparel repair as easy as ordering DoorDash. Users can ship their damaged or ill-fitting clothes to be fixed, hemmed, or modified through a streamlined online process.
• The Beta Phase: Robin discusses the importance of an "authentic" beta launch. Upkept started with a basic Squarespace form to test demand—proving that people across the country were eager for a reliable, remote repair service.
• Combatting Fashion Waste: With the average American throwing away over 81 pounds of clothing annually, Robin explains how repair can divert massive amounts of waste and break the "purchase-replace" cycle.
• The Future of Repair: Looking toward Europe's legislative lead in brand responsibility, Robin envisions a future where "reverse logistics" make it easier for consumers to maintain and extend the life of their wardrobes.
• The "Secret Sauce": Robin reflects on co-founding the company with her husband, Cash, combining operational fashion expertise with high-level tech development to build a unique, proprietary platform.

In this episode, we sit down with Robin Atkinson, the CEO and founder of Upkept, to pull back the curtain on the reality of venture capital and scaling a business. Robin shares her journey from an art degree to building a proprietary tech-manufacturing model, offering a candid look at the "hamster wheel" of VC funding and the intense math required to survive it.

Takeaways:

• The Scale Requirement: Not every company should seek venture capital. To be "venture-backable," a business must aim for national scale and a market presence that can justify a 10x return on investment.
• The "Hamster Wheel": Once you take venture funding, you are on a long-term commitment. Robin warns that unless you plan on going "really big," this funding route may not be for you.
• Unit Economics at Scale: Robin explains that for Upkept, the "math wouldn't math" at a local level. Success depends on high-volume, low-margin infrastructure that only works at a national scale.
• Research & Development: Scaling often means losing money initially. Robin highlights the necessity of viewing early losses as R&D—essential investments to build the "knowledge layer" of the business.

Top 4 Tips for Founders

1. Define Your Scale: Determine if you are building a $100 million company; if the market isn't that large, consider other funding like loans or grants.
2. Build a Resilient Team: Ensure your team can handle problems at both the $10 level and the $100,000 level.
3. Own the Outcome: Make a deal with yourself to take full responsibility for the money you lose or gain, and be prepared to look investors in the eye regardless of the result.
4. Know Your Stuff: Become an expert in your intellectual property and your math. Robin suggests breaking your "unit economics" into the most granular pieces possible.

In this episode of the Woman Run podcast, host Meredith Lowry sits down with Jasmine Hudson, co-founder of the award-winning brand Black Paper Party and a key leader in the Northwest Arkansas entrepreneurial scene.

Jasmine shares her journey from being recruited by Walmart out of an HBCU to becoming a full-time entrepreneur and community advocate. The conversation highlights how she, alongside partners Madia and J, scaled a seasonal celebrations brand into major retail stores like Macy’s, Target, and Family Dollar by filling the "black space" in representation.

Key Discussion Points:

• The "Grit" Behind the Success: Jasmine recounts the bold move that landed her a job at Walmart and the subsequent 2 a.m. pitch that secured a deal on Shark Tank with Barbara Corcoran.
• Building Community: From her deep involvement with the Girl Scouts and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority to her role with Black Owned NWA, Jasmine discusses the importance of creating spaces for Black-owned businesses to thrive regionally.
• The Power of Representation: The mission behind Black Paper Party and the importance of seeing Black culture represented in everyday lifestyle products, from wrapping paper to pajamas.
• Entrepreneurship for All Ages: A look at the upcoming Black Owned NWA Expo and the new "Kidpreneur" track designed to foster the next generation of business leaders.
• Authentic Social Media: Jasmine shares her "masterclass" approach to social media, balancing strategic content across platforms like Instagram and TikTok while maintaining an authentic connection with her audience.

Listen in to hear how Jasmine is redefining what it means to be a "woman in business" in Northwest Arkansas

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In this preview episode of the Woman Run podcast, Jasmine Hudson, co-founder of the award-winning brand Black Paper Party, joins the conversation to share her incredible journey from corporate giant Walmart to full-time entrepreneur.

Jasmine dives deep into the "grit" required to build a business from the ground up, detailing how she and her partners, Madia and J, successfully filled a critical gap in representation within the seasonal celebrations market.

Key Discussion Points:

• The Birth of Black Paper Party: How the founders turned a pandemic-era idea for inclusive holiday products into a national brand featured on Shark Tank.
• Scaling to Big Box Retail: Jasmine shares her unique perspective as both a former buyer and current seller, offering a "masterclass" on what it takes to land and maintain partnerships with major retailers like Target, Macy’s, and Family Dollar.
• Four Fundamentals for Success: A candid breakdown of the essential pillars for any scaling business:
  • Product-Market Fit: Identifying the unique void only you can fill.
  • Capacity: Ensuring you can support massive volume and logistical demands.
  • Cash Flow: Navigating the intense financial realities of long payment terms and inventory costs.
  • The Right Team: Hiring experts smarter than yourself and building a culture of "scrappiness."
• Entrepreneurial Evolution: The importance of letting your brand evolve and staying authentic in the age of social media.

Listen in to the full episode tomorrow to hear Jasmine’s sharp, real-world advice for entrepreneurs ready to take their next big leap in Northwest Arkansas and beyond.

Don't forget to subscribe!

Host Meredith Lowry sits down with Sarah Catherine Gutierrez of Aptus Financial to discuss the psychology of "caveman brain" spending, the truth about "golden handcuffs," and why every person in America needs to know their personal savings rate.

• Aptus Financial’s Mission: The firm focuses on helping clients, particularly young physicians, "pay themselves first" and invest in tax-efficient ways.
• Accessibility: Traditionally, financial advice required significant wealth, but Sarah Catherine targets clients as "broke as possible" to help them avoid major mistakes early in their careers.
• The Physician Trap: Many high-earning doctors graduate and immediately inflate their lifestyles with expensive homes and cars, eventually living paycheck to paycheck despite $500,000+ salaries. This financial "entrapment" is a primary driver of professional burnout.

The "Save 10" Philosophy

• The Golden Number: Sarah Catherine advocates that everyone should know their "savings rate"—specifically saving 10% of their income—to earn the right to stop working one day.
• Golden Handchecks: This term refers to being forced to stay in a job you dislike because you are dependent on the next paycheck.
• The Power of Automation: To combat the natural "caveman brain" (basal ganglia) that wants to spend immediately, Sarah Catherine recommends "paying yourself first" by having savings automatically deducted before they even hit a checking account.

Modernizing Retirement Plans

• Language Barriers: Sarah Catherine argues that the 401k system fails many because it relies on jargon and tax codes (e.g., 401k, 403b, vesting) rather than simple language.
• The "Bucket" Concept: She reframes retirement accounts as "buckets" where employers literally put a pile of cash for the employee’s future.
• Overcoming Gender Tropes: The podcast addresses the historical exclusion of women from finance (noting that women couldn't get credit cards independently until 1974) and emphasizes that women are excellent savers once they take ownership of their money.

Tactical Advice: "But First Save 10"

• Payroll Deductions: Most payroll departments can easily split a direct deposit into multiple accounts.
• High-Yield Savings: Utilizing accounts like Ally or American Express for automated deposits helps build a "pile of confidence" for emergencies or business opportunities.
• Physician-Specific Savings: High earners often need to save 20% to 30% because they start their careers later and rely less on Social Security to replace their income.

Upcoming Books

• But First Save 10: Aimed at median-income earners, focusing on the simple move of saving 10%.
• Hi Doc, Meet Money: Scheduled for release in mid-April, this book provides a specific framework for physicians and high earners to calculate their long-term savings rates.

Host Meredith Lowry sits down with Shunqetta Cunningham, the powerhouse behind Kharis Consulting and the Over a Cup Initiative, to discuss the true meaning of power, the necessity of building community for women entrepreneurs, and her mission to elevate the economic landscape of Arkansas.

Meredith: I am so excited today to have my friend Shunqetta Cunningham with us on the podcast to talk about all the things you're doing.

Shunqetta: Kharis Consulting started exclusively as a grant writer after leaving our local municipality. My family was growing—by then, I had three of the now five kids. Grant writing turned into full consulting for nonprofits a little over 13 years ago.

Shunqetta: Connection sometimes doesn't equate to currency in business. My first client was pro bono; they received a $40,000 grant, but they did not contract with me afterward because they expected free help. Eventually, I had to rise to the level of service where I knew nonprofit does not mean "no profit".

Shunqetta: In business, "help" insinuates what that is—help—but "providing consultation" or "facilitation" reduces that question. In Northeast Arkansas, I have been able to flourish as a solopreneur, but it has not been easy.

Shunqetta: You have to create community. I have had to come to Little Rock or Fayetteville just to get a different mindset of what it is to run a business outside of my passion. I am blessed to have a supportive husband who encourages my creativity. My children see this example; if I am going to leverage influence for everyone else, I am going to first start at home.

Shunqetta: The Over a Cup Initiative (OAC) is an intentional networking connection space for Black women entrepreneurs in Northeast Arkansas. We affectionately call one another "sister bosses". I started it in 2018 so people could ask questions about business terminology—profit, loss, capital—without feeling intimidated.

Shunqetta: Three years ago, FORGE Community Loan Fund took a chance on us to launch the LEAP Academy (Leveraging Expertise to Accelerate Profit), an incubator for women. We have graduated nearly 30 women from the program. We use terms we understand culturally—"where does the money reside"—to make the process less intimidating.

Shunqetta: It has never been as much about race as it is about economics. Dr. King’s message of reconciliation wasn't the catalyst for anger; the threat came when economic justice started to be at the forefront. Arkansas industries must work together because technology and AI are changing every facet of this nation.

Shunqetta: I have a book out called When I Awake, I Decree. It is a 366-day devotional to help people reframe their conversations with positivity no matter what is going on in the world. My faith tells me that my voice matters too.

Shunqetta: I self-published, and it prompted me to release a resource guide for nonprofits called Get Off The Ask. It empowers organizations to ask for what they need, whether that is fundraising, grants, or volunteers.

Shunqetta: As Arkansans, we should be tired of leading from the bottom in socioeconomic status, health, and infant mortality. We are at a point where we are going to burst into change.

Shunqetta: You can find me on social media under Shunqetta Cunningham or Kharis Group Consulting (K-H-A-R-I-S). We also have an Over a Cup page. We meet monthly on Saturdays for women entrepreneurs. It is a space for access to information and connection where we say, "Hey, you got this, sister boss".