Day: May 9, 2022

Female Founders: Mandy Gleason of Replica Surfaces On The Five Things You Need To Thrive and…

Female Founders: Mandy Gleason of Replica Surfaces On The Five Things You Need To Thrive and Succeed as a Woman Founder

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

Find mentors early so that you don’t have to go it alone. You can learn before you make mistakes. Clarity.FM is an online search engine for small business owners to find experts in areas of small business. It’s a great way to find mentors in all areas. I’ve used it for accounting, legal, wholesale, and plastics engineering advice. You can also establish longer relationships if you click with someone.

As a part of our series about “Why We Need More Women Founders”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Mandy Gleason, founder and CEO of Replica Surfaces.

Before launching Replica Surfaces in 2018, Mandy lived many different lives. From a young entrepreneur in grade school, to a television actor, to a resident physician, Mandy realized that she needed to trace her roots back to her entrepreneurial spirit and create something completely new. After inventing a specialized box opener (of all things), Mandy struggled with taking photos of her prototype and after trying to source photo backdrops, she realized there wasn’t a product out there accessible for small business owners and content creators to take high-quality product shots — so she decided to create one along with the mission to help educate and inspire anyone from hobbyists to entrepreneurs to become their most successful selves.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit more. Can you tell us a bit about your “backstory”? What led you to this particular career path?

My career path as a founder truly came about unexpectedly. I was working as a resident physician and looking up to these doctors who I would soon be working alongside, and I realized that most were unhappy in their careers. So after self-reflecting, I realized I needed to forge a side income stream so that I could take a job I enjoyed rather than settle for one that paid enough to cover my student loans. Don’t even get me started on how massive my student loans were!

A close friend of mine owned an e-commerce business and inspired me to get started with my own venture. So, I invented a specialized box opener, of all things! In the process of trying to photograph my prototype, I struggled with poor lighting and unflattering countertops. I tried my best to find an affordable, easily accessible photo backdrop, and I simply couldn’t find anything!

I knew there were other creators out there like myself that didn’t have a background in photography and I wanted to come up with a solution…That’s when the idea sparked for Replica Surfaces.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began leading your company?

Our most recent product is the Replica Studio. It’s a platform on a tripod that’s height adjustable and you can move it around to find the best light. You can attach any of our Surfaces to create a wall or table effect anywhere in your home. I spent so much time coming up with every feature imaginable that I thought would make the perfect in-home studio. It was important to me to identify the features that would matter to our customers — that was key.

When I was using the prototype, I realized, after all that work thinking of each necessary feature, I accidentally designed an extra two-in-one component! The handle to push the studio around doubles as a light-diffuser holder. It was a happy accident that resulted in a dual-purpose feature on something I’d already worked so hard to meticulously put features into. Founders face new challenges every day, so it was awesome to have a feature fall into my lap!

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

From the start, I knew I wanted Replica Surfaces to be more than just a product, rather a community of small business owners and creators. So when we launched our Instagram account, we made it a point to reach out personally to each individual follower to thank them and also see what kinds of things they wanted to see from us.

My husband, Adam, offered to help us manage a huge influx of followers. After sending well over 20 DMs to new Replica Surfaces followers, he realized he had been sending them from his personal Instagram account! We had a laugh about it. So, if you were one of our early followers, you received a message from a random guy instead of our brand!

It made me learn that even the most talented and caring people can make mistakes. It happens! You just have to laugh and move on!

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

My digital marketer was really the first person who took a chance on Replica Surfaces when we were very small. We were only a couple months into selling live on the website. He worked with a lot of big brands, nothing as small as us. I reached out to him probably 10 times and the persistence paid off. When we were finally able to connect, he was really impressed with the customer focus, strong community, and education we were providing that he decided to take a chance on us.

He ended up doing our digital marketing for free for the first two months just to prove that it was something that would work for us and he’s now been our digital marketer for 3 years. He’s really become a mentor to our brand and our business and I’m very grateful he took a chance on a small company because he really saw something in us.

Ok, thank you for that. Let’s now jump to the primary focus of our interview. According to this EY report, only about 20 percent of funded companies have women founders. This reflects great historical progress, but it also shows that more work still has to be done to empower women to create companies. In your opinion and experience what is currently holding back women from founding companies?

I think that one of the big reasons is that starting a business is a scary thing! I didn’t even think of creating a product or being a founder as something I was capable of. I didn’t even know where to start. It was really because I met a friend who had an e-commerce company and demystified the process.

My friend was talented, but so am I! It showed me that if he could do it, I could do it too! So I feel like the more women see those examples in their life, the more it feels possible.

Can you help articulate a few things that can be done as individuals, as a society, or by the government, to help overcome those obstacles?

We need to share more of their stories! The more we share about women founders, the more the process will become demystified. Like I said before, it can feel really scary if you don’t have those examples to look to, but if stories are shared, it will feel more attainable and perhaps more women will take that leap. And they’re out there! We just have to be talking about them.

This might be intuitive to you as a woman founder but I think it will be helpful to spell this out. Can you share a few reasons why more women should become founders?

I think, as women, we play a lot of different roles in life, but we often feel defined by just one role. We have a career, we’re caretakers, we’re spouses, we’re friends, and the list goes on… I believe that what should define us is the sum of all the roles we play.

Sometimes we need something outside of those roles that is purely our own. Becoming a founder becomes a very personal role that is all about you. It’s an amazing outlet for your own creativity and skills that allows you to share something valuable with the world. It’s also something you get to watch grow which is such a massive reward that can be hard to find elsewhere. And it’s so gratifying.

What are the “myths” that you would like to dispel about being a founder? Can you explain what you mean?

Number one is that you set your own hours. You technically do, but that doesn’t mean we get all this free time to not put in the work. There’s a joke that founders say, “I was sick of working a 9–5 so now I work 24/7” and there’s a lot of truth to that. We can set the time of day we want to work, and we can be flexible. We can take days off, but that might mean we have to work weekends to make up for it. Over time, founders can achieve more free time, but only if we create a team and systems that make that possible.

Another big myth is that it’s too risky. Sure, it can be. But you can start lean, you can be scrappy and smart. You don’t need to invest a ton of money in the beginning. For example, Replica launched as a Kickstarter campaign. Kickstarter is an amazing way to fund your startup costs. It works by pre-selling your product to customers who want to be part of exciting products before anyone else knows they exist. You basically get a startup loan from a couple hundred people rather than a bank. All you have to do is send them the product when it’s done. You can also make gradual improvements and spend more over time. I did our graphic design for the first year and I am hardly a graphic designer. Eventually, I was able to hire someone much more talented to take our brand look to the next level. You also don’t immediately have to quit your job. In fact, I strongly recommend not doing that! You can work on your business on the weekends or in the evenings, which is what I did. You don’t have to remove your safety net until your business is fully supporting you.

The last “myth” I’ll mention is that people will understand your product or business immediately and lavish you with praise for your idea. The truth is, people often think you’re crazy at first, then they think you’re lucky once you’re a success. Lots of people didn’t understand Replica Surfaces at first. Looking back, I and think that was a sign that I was onto something. If you get a similar response when you share your idea with friends, co-workers, or even prospective manufacturers, consider it a sign that you’re tapping into a market that isn’t there yet and you may be on the verge of something big.

Is everyone cut out to be a founder? In your opinion, which specific traits increase the likelihood that a person will be a successful founder and what type of person should perhaps seek a “regular job” as an employee? Can you explain what you mean?

Number one thing that comes to mind for traits that make a successful founder is being a good listener — it’ll help you learn about new opportunities. Listening to your customers — what they’re asking for, what they’re liking and disliking, how they’re engaging with you. Listening to successful friends or other entrepreneurs — they’ve been there before; trust me you can learn a lot from them. You can avoid making mistakes just by listening to their stories. That doesn’t mean you have to follow their advice. Just listen actively and think “could I apply this lesson to what I’m doing?” or “would I enjoy the opportunity they’re finding success with?”

Another one is humility. You’re going to work incredibly hard as a founder, and you should feel good about all the successful moments along the way. But it’s so important to listen to experts and ask for help. You’re going to have to be a jack of all trades, but there will always be people with more experience than you in certain areas of your business and you will need their help.

You must, and this is crucial, be internally motivated. Your entire life has become a blank slate and you’re going to have to be in control. You’re going to have to be able to create your own structure because no one else is going to tell you what it is you’re going to have to do. You have to be a visionary. You must ask yourself what are you working toward? What is your goal and how are you going to build your business to make those visions possible? Then create steps yourself to achieve those goals and visions you set for yourself. It’s a process that consistently needs refinement. Without an understanding of where you want to end up and what you eventually want your day to look like, you won’t be able to decide which opportunities to pursue and where to spend your time.

Ok super. Here is the main question of our interview. What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why? (Please share a story or example for each.)

1. If someone doesn’t totally get your product, you’re probably on the right track. If you believe in it, give it a go.

2. Start lean, so if it doesn’t work, it’s okay and you’ll pivot.

3. Find mentors early so that you don’t have to go it alone. You can learn before you make mistakes. Clarity.FM is an online search engine for small business owners to find experts in areas of small business. It’s a great way to find mentors in all areas. I’ve used it for accounting, legal, wholesale, and plastics engineering advice. You can also establish longer relationships if you click with someone.

4. Customer criticism is ALWAYS going to hurt. As a founder, you pour everything into it. Anytime you hear a customer is upset, it’s going to stab you in the heart. But feedback does make everyone’s experience better in the long run. As you start to scale up your business, the first thing you should do is hire someone to manage your customer service. Customer service is such an important part of the customer experience that it’s worth hiring a dedicated customer service agent. The agent will also report back to you on customer feedback so you can learn from it while reducing that heart-stabbing feeling!

5. Competitive knockoffs are going to come into the sphere, and they’re going to bother you because you did it first. But they are a sign that you’re going in the right direction. So use it as affirmation and motivation that you are making something great and other people see that!

How have you used your success to make the world a better place?

When I started Replica Surfaces, I knew right away we were more than just a tool for small business owners, bloggers and entrepreneurs. I knew I could use my expertise to give educational resources to those aspiring to be successful in small businesses. I found such joy in doing what I do, that I wanted to share it with the world, in hopes that I could help others find their joy too.

I’m able to bring education, efficacy, and experience to other small business owners. I’m able to provide small businesses with the resources to achieve their goals. And as they do that, their lives improve and the lives around them improve.

One small business at a time, Replica Surfaces is making the world a better and more joyful place. And that’s an incredible feeling.

You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good for the greatest number of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.

The Replica VIP group is already a movement of that sort. We have over 13,000 members in the group already and it is an incredibly supportive place where members help each other to get better and achieve their photography and business goals.

I would encourage every small business owner to join this group. Whether or not they’re a Replica Surfaces customer, it’s a group where all small business owners can bounce ideas off each other and help one another grow.

We are very blessed that some very prominent names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them.

If I could sit down with anyone it would without a doubt be Josh Silverman, the CEO of Etsy. With how many small business owners are on Etsy and how important photography is for those businesses, I feel like Etsy and Replica Surfaces are just a match. I feel like a partnership with Etsy and Replica Surfaces would help sellers grow to new heights.

Plus, Josh is just such an amazing CEO and person, I would love the chance to listen and learn everything I can from him!

Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this.

Female Founders: Mandy Gleason of Replica Surfaces On The Five Things You Need To Thrive and… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Female Founders: Jennifer Steiner of Lightfully Behavioral Health On The Five Things You Need To…

Female Founders: Jennifer Steiner of ‘Lightfully Behavioral Health’ On The Five Things You Need To Thrive and Succeed as a Woman Founder

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

Your kids will be so proud of you. Throughout my career, I’ve felt intervals of guilt for being a working mom. Recently I asked my daughter if she remembered the day I picked her up from school and another mother asked me if I were the nanny. My daughter said “yes, and I used to brag about you all the time. I thought it was really cool to have a mom that’s a CEO.”

As a part of our series about “Why We Need More Women Founders”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Jennifer Steiner.

Jennifer has a history of excellence in healthcare delivery and a proven track record of success. During the last decade, Jennifer has been actively creating positive change in mental health on a national scale. She is passionate about improving the standards of care in mental health by maintaining an intense focus on clinical quality, fostering collaboration and accountability, and facilitating innovation.

Jennifer holds an MBA from the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business and earned her undergraduate degree in liberal arts from The Colorado College.

She lives in Santa Barbara with her family, including her golden retriever, Mochi. She enjoys running, yoga, learning and the beautiful California shoreline. Jennifer is also the founder of “Lead Like a CHIQ”, a movement she created that promotes the power of authentically female leadership.

I have been in healthcare services my entire career. I was an anthropology major in college, and quickly realized there wasn’t a huge demand for anthropologists!

I fell into a job at a skilled nursing company, where I worked for 13 years. My mentor at the time told me that if I wanted to get further in seniority, I needed business training. So, I went back to school to earn my MBA while working full time. I had two children and a third on the way, so it was a very challenging time for me.

I’m so glad I went to business school. I learned a lot and I stretched myself out of my comfort zone. And, it led me to the next phase in my career. For a brief time, I worked for a real estate investment trust that was investing in health care companies. This role forced me to face the things I was most intimated by, including finance. It was challenging and interesting but I quickly learned that I was not fulfilled. To “fill my cup”, I needed to be closer to the delivery of care.

Next, I worked for DaVita, the world’s largest dialysis company. I was given the chance to operate a large division with operations spanning from California to Oregon. I learned two key lessons. The first was the importance of culture and creating a consistent care experience for clients across all locations. The second was the importance of data-driven operations to measure lots of metrics and hold people accountable.

A few years later, I was recruited to my first CEO job for a company that treated adolescents suffering from mental health conditions. At the time, the ACA had just passed, and care was limited to people who could pay out of pocket. Mental health care for adolescents wasn’t talked about much. In fact, some of my friends and colleagues thought I worked for a nonprofit!

Then, I went to work for an eating disorder company where I learned about insurance-based mental health care. That job led me to the concept of Lightfully Behavioral Health. I saw a hole in the market. There wasn’t a national company out there that was solely specialized in mid-acuity, general mental health care (treating things like depression, anxiety and trauma.)

I’d say the theme is that throughout my career, I have been inspired by opportunities to serve vulnerable populations. We all find ourselves at points in our lives when we (or our family members) are in the hands of a health care provider when we are really suffering. It’s an honor to be there for people when they need us most.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began leading your company?

I started Lightfully Behavioral Health to address an exploding need in the market. In light of the abundance of research about the impact of Covid on Americans’ mental health, I feel constant affirmation that we’re in the right place at the right time.

Everyone that I tell about Lightfully — from the grocery store clerk to the auto mechanic to my primary care doctor — confirms the need for primary mental health care by sharing a personal story of a friend or family member’s struggle. I often hear “It’s so wonderful what you’re doing. It’s incredible needed.”

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

One of Lightfully’s values is wabi sabi which is to appreciate the beauty and concept of imperfection. At Lightfully, we celebrate the fact that we all make mistakes. We know that an environment of psychological safety is essential for building a culture where innovation happens. If we feel like we have to be perfect all the time, we won’t try new things.

In fact, we have a tradition on our monthly all-company call where I share a mistake I made. Most recently, I shared a story about when I was doing a presentation on Zoom to our leadership team. I thought my camera was off — but it wasn’t! As it turns out, my children were making breakfast in the kitchen behind me throughout the entire call!

I’m glad that I made this mistake, and I’m glad I shared it with the team. We’re all living this balance of working from home, and we don’t need to pretend that we don’t have real lives in the background.

So many people!

Vicki Kroviak, founder and CEO of Acorn Health, has been incredibly successful in building several healthcare companies. She has inspired me by demonstrating that strong women can build companies and have wonderful outcomes.

Vicki is a friend and a member of Lightfully’s board of directors. She has been a sounding board, a deliverer of affirmation, a challenger when necessary, and a supporter. It’s a reciprocal relationship that’s really meaningful to me.

As I was embarking on starting the company, there were many times when I felt afraid. I questioned my own capabilities, and I wondered which path to take. Vicki supported me by frequently reminding me of my capabilities and helping me zoom out to see the big picture.

As a woman growing up in business, I often felt like a misfit among management teams. Not necessarily because of my gender, but because of my inherent characteristics. I was not naturally aggressive, directive, combative, or forceful. My management style is much more collaborative, empathetic, and supportive. At work, I felt like I had to make an impossible choice: either emulate these different male characteristics to progress or remain authentic to my own style and risk being passed over.

Women who have grown up in these kind of traditional business settings may question whether they have what it takes to lead. They may look and act differently from the leaders around them. We were taught you to be emotionless, directive and know-it-all to be a good leader. I believe this is why women don’t envision themselves as leaders. They face a real conflict in how they show up.

As a CEO, I encourage all styles of leadership. There are many versions of great leaders, including women leaders or leaders who adopt a female style.

Can you help articulate a few things that can be done as individuals, as a society, or by the government, to help overcome those obstacles?

Broadening our understanding of what makes a great leader is paramount.

Brene Brown is leading the charge by introducing this concept of vulnerability in leadership that would have seemed crazy 10 years ago. We’re on the right path now.

We’re studying and publishing articles and research findings that demonstrate the true efficacy of diverse leadership styles. It’s one thing to say that women are great leaders. It’s a far more powerful thing to actually provide data to support that assertion.

Studies show that companies with women on their board of directors perform better than those without.

This might be intuitive to you as a woman founder but I think it will be helpful to spell this out. Can you share a few reasons why more women should become founders?

Women build fantastic companies. We deliver shareholder value. We also build talent, create inspiring cultures, deliver quality products and services, and pioneer innovation.

The thing getting in the way is our lack of belief in our own capabilities. Out with the imposter syndrome!

What are the “myths” that you would like to dispel about being a founder? Can you explain what you mean?

I would like to dispel the myth of imposter syndrome. There’s evidence that women suffer from imposter syndrome at a much higher rate than men. Some studies indicate that even talking about imposter syndrome is holding women back. We need to dispel this myth that women can’t really lead, and their success is an accident. We need to dispel the myth that there are cultural norms that are prohibiting women from being successful in founding companies.

Not everyone is cut out to be a founder. People who have an appetite for risk, comfort with wabi sabi, above average courage and a deep reserve of grit are more likely to be cut out to be a founder than those who seek safety in their day-to-day work.

Ok super. Here is the main question of our interview. What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why? (Please share a story or example for each.)

1. Culture eats strategy for breakfast. When you create an inspiring culture, people are drawn to it. We’ve poured our hearts into building an authentic culture at Lightfully, and people can see and feel that. People know when things are staged and when they’re genuine.

2. Every day is a roller coaster. Literally. Everything is so personal. This company is my baby, so the highs feel higher, and the lows feel lower.

3. Take care of yourself. Taking time for self-care is more important in this environment than any other environment I’ve worked in. If we allowed ourselves, we could literally work 24 hours a day because there’s so much to be done. That approach leads to burnout, and I’ve had to be deliberate about creating boundaries and forcing myself to disconnect.

4. Starting your own company feels great! I feel profound gratitude every day. I wish someone had told me that an opportunity to start a company was possible and within reach. I didn’t take the step to be a founder for many years because I didn’t believe it was possible. I didn’t think I had what it took. Now that I’m in it, I think why didn’t I do this 10 years ago?

5. Your kids will be so proud of you. Throughout my career, I’ve felt intervals of guilt for being a working mom. Recently I asked my daughter if she remembered the day I picked her up from school and another mother asked me if I were the nanny. My daughter said “yes, and I used to brag about you all the time. I thought it was really cool to have a mom that’s a CEO.”

How have you used your success to make the world a better place?

Creating a place that provides access to mental health care that helps people is making the world a better place.

I find great joy in growing leaders. I believe I’ve inspired many women to expand in their careers. I’ve given them opportunities, supported them in their growth, and encouraged them to be authentic leaders.

Someone wrote me this note: “I never thought I could be a leader until I met you. You opened my eyes to what a leader could be.” I’m proud that my success gave her a picture of what’s possible.

Leaders come in all shapes sizes colors personality types. We all have inherent leadership characteristics for whatever we choose to lead — your family, your child’s PTA, your faith-based organization, or your company. I’d like to inspire people, build their confidence, and give them the courage to make changes in the world.

Oprah. It’s always been Oprah. She lives in my town, and I’d love to take her to lunch!

Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this

Female Founders: Jennifer Steiner of Lightfully Behavioral Health On The Five Things You Need To… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Wisdom From The Women Leading The Cannabis Industry, With Sondra Hellund of Franny’s Farmacy

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

Expect the unexpected: The cannabis industry is still in its infancy stage, and with that comes a lot of excitement, and unexpected surprises when it comes to laws, regulations, science, and everything else involved with running a business in this space. Like Franny herself always says, “This is not business as usual.”

As a part of my series about strong women leaders in the cannabis industry, I had the pleasure of interviewing Sondra Hellund.

Sondra Hellund is the Owner/Operator of Franny’s Farmacy in Charlotte, NC. As the first Franny’s Farmacy female franchise owner, Sondra takes pride in leading by example and empowering her team to achieve new heights both personally and professionally. Her dedication and commitment to bringing the vertically-integrated, locally-sourced Franny’s Farmacy brand and its offering to the people of Charlotte is embedded in her team of highly-trained bud-tenders and staff. The dispensary serves as a wellness destination for Charlotteans to gather, connect, learn, feel inspired, and experience the very best in hemp-wellness.

A Charlotte local for the past 25 years, Sondra refers to the city as the first place to ever feel like home. After experiencing several Franny’s Farmacy Dispensaries for herself, the heart-led leader took it upon herself to lift the veil on a top-tier hemp-wellness dispensary that her city and its community deserved and needed, and could be proud of.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Can you tell us the “backstory” about what brought you to the cannabis industry?

I came into the cannabis industry in the most organic way possible. I came into the industry as a customer. My partner, Anthony, was a customer of Franny’s Farmacy in another location. I live in Charlotte, NC where, at the time, there wasn’t a Franny’s Farmacy.

He was visiting and mentioned that he was out of gummies and said to me, “let’s run to Franny’s!”

“A what?”, I replied.

The rest is history. I’d like to say it took a ton of agonizing research, but as soon as I heard woman-helmed, organic, and vertically-integrated, and right after I met Franny herself, I knew it was the right move.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began leading your company? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

The most interesting thing is not so much a story but an experience. We are located in a very vibrant, “hot,” if you will, part of Charlotte, North Carolina alongside high-end, upscale stores and restaurants.

From the start, we wanted to create a dispensary that cultivated an experience that was just as beautiful, elegant, and welcoming. Frequently women will open the front door of the dispensary, step one foot in, look briefly from side to side, and then back out as if to leave. I catch them every time and ask, “What store are you looking for?”

Their reply is always, “The CBD store…”

The interesting insight from these experiences and stories are about the general public’s perception of how a Hemp and CBD dispensary should look. The general assumption is that it might smell smokey and not have a look and feel similar to that of a reviving health and wellness destination. There are still lots of minds, opinions, and assumptions to education and persuade out there, and that’s what my team and I are committed to at Franny’s Farmacy of Charlotte; educate, educate, educate. Education is key to unveiling what this plant is all about, and the impact it can have on the health and wellness each of us is trying to achieve for whatever reason it may be.

The lesson learned here is that a lot of what lies ahead of me in this business is going to involve providing safe access to quality products, and continuous education for both my team and our community here in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

This was truly a rookie mistake. My team and I were sponsoring a TopGolf tournament in late March. It had been a chilly week and, as I recall, cloudy all week. The weather surprised us all on the day of the event with beautiful sunshine and 60 degree temperatures.

We had a great time, the weather was beautiful, and the event was great. While unpacking some extra boxes at the dispensary, I noticed that 25 jars of CBD Gummies turned into soup! Now, this may not sound funny to some, but all I could do at that moment was laugh. The only other alternative was to get upset, angry, or cry, and I wasn’t going to let that happen!

I can’t tell you how many times I have kindly reminded customers, “Please don’t leave your gummies in the car on a warm day,” and share that story. What I learned from this is to not take every little thing too seriously, even if it means learning the hard way from time to time.

Do you have a funny story about how someone you knew reacted when they first heard you were getting into the cannabis industry?

The most comical reaction to me becoming a part of the cannabis industry was hands down when I heard my then 17 year old son say, “Mom’s decided to be a drug dealer.” He was very intrigued with the idea for about two weeks. For the record, this was also during the same time he was binge watching Breaking Bad.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story?

It’s really difficult to point to one person and say, “That person, they helped me the most.” I would never be able to do that, and for that I’m grateful. I’ve had so many mentors along the way; some I knew about, some I didn’t. I’ve been lucky to have been surrounded by such talented and supportive people from different fields and backgrounds.

Are you working on any new or exciting projects now? How do you think that will help people?

Yes! Franny’s has several new products launching and Franny’s Farmacy of Charlotte is incredibly excited to have them available to our customers. I want my customers to stay knowledgeable and informed about their health and wellness so that we stay strong as a community. That’s just one part of the Franny difference. When we are in your community, you will know because we care.

Ok. Thank you for all that. Let’s now jump to the main core of our interview. Despite great progress that has been made we still have a lot more work to do to achieve gender parity in this industry. According to this report in Entrepreneur, less than 25 percent of cannabis businesses are run by women. In your opinion or experience, what 3 things can be done by a)individuals b)companies and/or c) society to support greater gender parity moving forward?

Collectively, all three of the entities listed must continually highlight the successes of women across all fields, and particularly in agriculture and cannabis. There are so many amazing women in this field doing extraordinary things and I don’t just say that because my company is helmed by one of those trailblazers.

In addition, I believe it’s up to us, women, to step up and self-promote our successes. We have a responsibility to put ourselves in the game.

You are a “Cannabis Insider”. If you had to advise someone about 5 non intuitive things one should know to succeed in the cannabis industry, what would you say? Can you please give a story or an example for each.

1) Legislation: You can wrap a light rail train in a decal of a huge bottle of Jack Daniels, but you can’t advertise CBD at a rail-stop. As a retailer, sometimes you can’t take debit cards because the banks don’t allow it. The list of examples of how the current legislation makes it difficult to operate as an everyday business is endless. For the pure-bread entrepreneur, sometimes these challenges can add a bit of spice and make the journey a little bit more fun and interesting.

2) Misconceptions need to be addressed daily: Until I planted both feet into the industry as a dispensary owner, I did not realize how much of my role would involve breaking down the perception of cannabis, hemp, CBD, Delta-8 THC, Delta-9 THC, etc… For such an amazing little plant, the misconceptions are endless.

3) Education is ongoing: The opportunity to learn something new in this industry is endless. I find myself learning something new every single day, and passing it along to our community, customers, and team on an ongoing basis.

4) Participating in this industry can be transformative: The joy one can bring to people’s lives is immense.

What we do impacts people on so many levels. I’ve seen it happen in such great ways here in Charlotte.

5) Expect the unexpected: The cannabis industry is still in its infancy stage, and with that comes a lot of excitement, and unexpected surprises when it comes to laws, regulations, science, and everything else involved with running a business in this space. Like Franny herself always says, “This is not business as usual.”

Can you share 3 things that most excite you about the cannabis industry?

1) The opportunities that will arise in the Mid-Atlantic states for this industry if and when the Federal Government legalizes cannabis

2) The transformative, life-changing opportunities that cannabis holds for the medical field, especially in the area of mental health

3) I’m curious to see if more and more charities will decide to break free of social norms and decide to take donations that come from the cannabis industry

Can you share 3 things that most concern you about the industry? If you had the ability to implement 3 ways to reform or improve the industry, what would you suggest?

As a dispensary owner, there are always political, regulatory, and legal concerns because these affect the way I do business everyday. Legislation bleeds into everything we do one way or another. I believe I not only speak for myself, but for all the leaders in the cannabis industry when I say this, but this industry needs more effective regulations across the board.
Regulations that ensures safer products for everyone are a must. At the moment, companies can still get away with cutting corners to increase their profit margins while posing a greater risk to consumer safety. This needs to be addressed as soon as possible if the general public wants to see better quality, safer products on the market.

– The cannabis industry needs GMP specific to our industry. There needs to be safe handling of ingredients, traceability, protocols for recalls, and product safety. These are the things that will ultimately help break the stigmas and negative connotations surrounding this miraculous plant that we’re working with.

What are your thoughts about federal legalization of cannabis? If you could speak to your Senator, what would be your most persuasive argument regarding why they should or should not pursue federal legalization?

I’m all for federal legalization as long as it’s accomplished correctly and fairly. At the end of the day, cannabis legalization at the federal level is what a majority of the people want in this country and that’s what they should have.

Today, cigarettes are legal, but they are heavily regulated, highly taxed, and they are somewhat socially marginalized. Would you like cannabis to have a similar status to cigarettes or different? Can you explain?

There is no comparison. This is like comparing apples to oranges. Cigarettes have been killing people for decades. For starters, when cannabis is inhaled, it does not have the same impact on the lungs that tobacco has. So why should they be grouped into the same category? In addition, Hemp and CBD are revolutionizing how people take care of their health and wellness. I don’t think people are adding tobacco products into their daily wellness regiments to look and feel better.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

“Your best teacher is your last mistake.” This has been my favorite quote for a long time. It helped me a lot; to learn from what I perceived to be failure and to try to take something positive from it. However, after a while, it came to a point where it almost felt punishing.

I recently heard this quote by Abraham Lincoln, “When I do good, I feel good. When I do bad, I feel bad. That’s my religion.”

Call it basic, but it works for me in every situation life throws at me, especially in business.

You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the greatest amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂

I’m going to refer back to good ‘ole Abe, “When I do good, I feel good. When I do bad, I feel bad. That’s my religion.” If I could get anything to catch on, it would be that.

Wouldn’t it be just so lovely to live in a world where the Golden Rule was actually a rule?

Thank you so much for the time you spent with this. We wish you only continued success!

Wisdom From The Women Leading The Cannabis Industry, With Sondra Hellund of Franny’s Farmacy was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Julie Livingston of WantLeverage Communications On How to Use LinkedIn To Dramatically Improve Your…

Julie Livingston of WantLeverage Communications On How to Use LinkedIn To Dramatically Improve Your Business,

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

Generate New Business Leads: LinkedIn has a variety of worthwhile service upgrades that are enormously helpful in identifying new business leads and building out one’s database. I use Sales Navigator which allows you to find the names of key decision makers at prospect companies. It’s literally like opening a vault of insights and information. Being able to search by title such as Chief Executive Officer or Chief Marketing Officer is a huge time saver and has allowed me to increase the number of qualified new business leads with whom I stay in touch by publishing LinkedIn articles and sending InMail.

As part of my series of interviews about “How to Use LinkedIn To Dramatically Improve Your Business”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Julie Livingston.

Julie Livingston is president, WantLeverage Communications, a New York City-based public relations and integrated marketing consultancy. She specializes in elevating “under the radar” C-suite leaders and companies, raising their public profile, promoting their thought leadership and competitive advantage. A LinkedIn content strategist, she helps C-Suite leaders to amplify their brand messages, increase followers and deepen audience engagement.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?

I’ve worked in the fields of public relations and marketing for more than 30 years, including strategic communications planning, placing executives in the news, content development, securing strategic partnerships and speaking engagements in a variety of industries. My corporate experience includes staff positions for Fortune 500 companies — Liz Claiborne, Scholastic — as well as for smaller, entrepreneurial enterprises in consumer products, technology, healthcare, associations and education marketing. I’ve always been inclined toward entrepreneurship and launched WantLeverage Communications in 2014, a full service PR and integrated marketing consultancy specializing in elevating “under the radar” C-suite executives and companies. Early on, I immersed myself in social media and specifically, LinkedIn, as I saw how fast it was developing into an important business networking and business development platform. Almost immediately after I started posting PR and marketing content regularly, I shared stories of my work and experiences as an entrepreneur. People commented on the quality of my posts and how the value I delivered, that my content was having a direct impact on their marketing choices.

Leveraging the power of LinkedIn has attracted clients to my PR and marketing consulting business, and now I’m helping C-suite leaders and companies on this vital social media platform- to deepen engagement with their key stakeholders through strategic communications and relationship building. Today, social media platforms such as LinkedIn provide a rich opportunity to tell one’s brand story using real time messaging. LinkedIn is another valuable resource in my ever expanding PR and integrated marketing toolbox, along with media and content placement and social media, forming strategic partnerships and more, on which to build one’s personal or company reputation.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started this career?

In 2010, I was developing programs for social influencers and had to jumpstart my knowledge and fluency in social media. It was exciting but also overwhelming and I kept getting tripped up, by the nuances of each platform, especially on Twitter. At the time, I was a volunteer leader for New York Women in Communications, a professional organization and was leading a committee of young professionals and mid-career women. I approached one of the younger women and asked her if she’d consider mentoring me on Twitter. She smiled and asked “Me, mentor you?”alluding to my senior level experience. “What can I possibly teach you?” I assured her that we could learn from each other, that our experience levels didn’t matter. It was our openness to learning and sharing We created a reverse mentoring relationship, where she mentored me in social media and I mentored her about finding the right career path. When we started, we’d meet at her office where I would learn the ins and outs of Twitter by looking over her shoulder. It was mutually beneficial — we enjoyed helping and learning from one another, and realized that our age or professional status didn’t matter. Later, I introduced a more formal reverse mentoring program to New York Women In Communications and later spoke about the benefits on Fox News.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

I was posting on LinkedIn for a client and thought I had signed out of her account. Unfortunately, I didn’t double check that I signed out. It turned out that I inadvertently posted a lengthy comment on her as her, and not me! Soonafter, she sent me a text message asking, “Did you just comment on my LinkedIn account as me, because it sounds as if I’m complimenting myself” It was embarrassing but also comical, and we both laughed about it.

After that experience, I learned to slow down and check things twice after each step in the content posting process. The nature of social media is to provide short, bite size commentary. Slowing down my process helps to ensure that a) I’m in the right account, b) that the layout and spacing of each post is correct and easily scannable (the reason I use bullet points), c) that there is a “call to action” message at the end to encourage audience engagement, and d) that the hashtags used are highly followed.

Which social media platform have you found to be most effective to use to increase business revenues? Can you share a story from your experience?

There’s no question that LinkedIn, which now has almost 740 million users, including 55 million registered companies, is the go-to social media platform on which to increase valuable business contacts, connections and build relationships with key audiences.

As a public relations and marketing professional, I recommend LinkedIn as a primary platform on which my clients should raise their visibility and build their thought leadership so they get noticed and engaged by potential clients, strategic partners, job talent and journalists who are looking for sources and subject matter experts. This is particularly critical for C-suite executives, as they are “the” brand ambassadors

who must lead the way for a company’s digital transformation and digital presence.

Leveraging my PR and marketing experience, I manage the LinkedIn strategy and content for a number of C-suite executives. After working with one CEO at a management consulting firm for a year, I’ve watched her engagement and views steadily rise. To date, there have been numerous positive business outcomes, including contact made by a colleague with whom the CEO hadn’t spoken to in a decade. Reading the CEO’s regular postings reignited that relationship. After seeing my client’s content on topics that matter to her business, she reached out to schedule a meeting. In fact, her company was grappling with an issue similar to one described in a LinkedIn post I composed. This resulted in an initial six figure contract for my client’s company.

Let’s talk about LinkedIn specifically, now. Can you share 5 ways to leverage LinkedIn to dramatically improve your business? Please share a story or example for each.

If you want to improve your business and raise your professional or company visibility in the marketplace, LinkedIn is the ideal platform on which to tell your brand story, attract new followers and build relationships. Although it may not instantly affect the bottom line, like other sales oriented social platforms such as Instagram and Facebook, the more active you are on LinkedIn, the more successful you will be in generating new business leads and promoting your competitive advantage over time. From my extensive experience on the platform, here are 5 ways to leverage LinkedIn to dramatically build your business:

Promote Products, Services: Because you can create and control the content and messaging, LinkedIn is an incredibly powerful marketing platform on which you can promote key brand messages. For the VP at a consulting firm who leads a new practice area, we’ve been developing content that illustrates the benefits of a new service offering. We’ve crafted this narrative in a very easy to read, bullet pointed format, using clever graphics and hashtags so target customers can locate the content. Using a tone that is casual and approachable, we cite real problems and challenges that companies face in their daily work and how they can be addressed and solved.
A few weeks in, my client was contacted by a colleague in his network who wrote, “I didn’t realize that you offered this service, and that’s just what our company is in need of right now.” They are currently negotiating a contract.
Attract New Talent During The Great Resignation: Organizations are only as good as their people. With The Great Resignation raging on, and the ability of employees to work from anywhere, US employers continue to face a highly competitive talent pool. When it comes to job posting or job search, LinkedIn is the place to be. It’s estimated that at any one time there are 15 million job openings advertised and 49 million individuals use the platform to search for jobs each week(source:LinkedIn).That’s why I encourage clients to share stories about their unique company culture, employee satisfaction, and team collaboration on a regular basis. One of my clients, a technology CEO, does this consistently, sharing stories about employee benefits and perks, snapshots which illustrate the company’s progressive culture and why it’s actually a fun and satisfying place to work. This stream of content has helped to brand herself as a culture maven. She not only sends LinkedIn In mails to prospective employees and contractors but has a steady stream of interested individuals reaching out to her.
Elevate Thought Leadership: Experienced leaders have a unique opportunity to promote their thought leadership on LinkedIn by posting and publishing articles. This establishes you as a subject matter or industry expert and reinforces your organization’s competitive advantage. Your brand or company name becomes more well-regarded and remembered. Once your perspectives on industry issues are noticed by a bigger audience, there’s the potential they will unleash a slew of additional marketing opportunities. A client, the CEO of an investment house, was contacted more than once to appear as a guest on multiple podcasts and be featured in articles because of his compelling thought leadership. This led to potential clients reaching out to his company for representation.
Generate New Business Leads: LinkedIn has a variety of worthwhile service upgrades that are enormously helpful in identifying new business leads and building out one’s database. I use Sales Navigator which allows you to find the names of key decision makers at prospect companies. It’s literally like opening a vault of insights and information. Being able to search by title such as Chief Executive Officer or Chief Marketing Officer is a huge time saver and has allowed me to increase the number of qualified new business leads with whom I stay in touch by publishing LinkedIn articles and sending InMail.
Exponentially Grow Your Network: The amazing thing about developing a solid presence on LinkedIn is that it makes it easy to expand your business network. I’ve met so many individuals outside of my sphere because they’ve commented on my posts or I’ve identified them as a qualified lead and started a conversation via the Inmail feature, which allows for experimentation in fostering new contacts. I’m proud that in working the platform over time, I’ve built a strong following — people who opt in to follow my posts — as well as connections -contacts with whom I have a 1st degree connection to. Interestingly, when I started my PR and marketing consultancy, I was focused on consumer products, but after diving in and using LinkedIn, I was able to branch out in other more lucrative areas.

Because of the position that you are in, you are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂

If I could inspire a movement, I’d start a foundation that would educate young people about financial independence and online entrepreneurship. Teaching young people about managing their money and finances from an early age, and mentoring them to set up online businesses. would provide them with confidence, resources and the foundation for success later in life. I’d love to see that happen.

Some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them 🙂

If I had my wish, I’d love to have a private breakfast or lunch with Brené Brown, the noted research professor, lecturer and author. I’m consistently drawn to her content and motivated by her incredible insights and wisdom about people and organizational behavior.

Thank you so much for these great insights. This was very enlightening!

Julie Livingston of WantLeverage Communications On How to Use LinkedIn To Dramatically Improve Your… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Women In Wellness: Amanda Young of Sunshine and Rainbows Podcast On The Five Lifestyle Tweaks That…

Women In Wellness: Amanda Young of Sunshine and Rainbows Podcast On The Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help Support People’s Journey Towards Better Wellbeing

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

Establish a routine: for someone with bipolar, routines are essential to my well-being and keeping my manic/depressive episodes fewer. When my routine gets thrown off or I’m unable to control my surroundings within reason, I without a doubt am at risk of slipping into a depressive state.

As a part of my series about the women in wellness, I had the pleasure of interviewing Amanda Young.

Amanda Young is a Mental Health Advocate, Author and Podcast Host whose personal mission is to help eliminate the stigma of brain illnesses by educating people on what depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress and bipolar actually are. She starts important conversations on her social media platforms and podcast by encouraging others to speak up and seek help. Amanda is a ﬁrm believer that her brain health conditions, and her unique voice are her superpowers. The ability to feel in extremes gives her empathy not everyone has — allowing her to continue helping others ﬁnd their voice.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Our readers would love to “get to know you” better. Can you share your “backstory” with us?

Thank you so much for having me! My story really starts in my mid-twenties when I was laid off from my dream job of working with Killer Whales and truly thought my life was over. Through lots of mistakes, therapy and eventual mental health diagnosis’ I was able to turn that setback into a true set up for something incredible in my life. I can conﬁdently say that if it wasn’t for that devastating phone call in April 2019, I really wouldn’t have become the woman I am today.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career? What were the main lessons or takeaways from that story?

While it might not be the most interesting thing to some, I am still so honored to have had the chance to represent the Bipolar community on World Bipolar Day by partnering with The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) in an

Instagram live. It was so incredible to hear others’ stories and share my own in the process. I learned yet again that I’m not alone and that there’s an entire community full of brave and resilient people.

Can you share a story about the biggest mistake you made when you were ﬁrst starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

I can honestly say that the biggest mistake I made starting out was trying to be like “everyone else” within my niche. It didn’t work, because they already existed… The world doesn’t want a ton of the same thing, they’re looking for exactly what makes you unique and special. Once I decided to own what made me different, I found that my community grew exponentially because I was showcasing what I uniquely had to offer.

Let’s jump to our main focus. When it comes to health and wellness, how is the work you are doing helping to make a bigger impact in the world?

I pride myself on being a ﬁerce and strong voice within the mental health space. By speaking up about my own challenges with getting properly diagnosed, I am helping others feel less alone in their own journeys. I hope to continue educating the world on what it truly looks like to live with a mental illness AND thrive within society.

Can you share your top ﬁve “lifestyle tweaks” that you believe will help support people’s journey towards better wellbeing? Please give an example or story for each.

Establish a routine: for someone with bipolar, routines are essential to my well-being and keeping my manic/depressive episodes fewer. When my routine gets thrown off or I’m unable to control my surroundings within reason, I without a doubt am at risk of slipping into a depressive state.
Go to sleep on the same day you woke up: again, a huge thing with being bipolar is sleep regulation. If I wake up on Monday morning, I need to go to bed again Monday night before 12a. By keeping my sleep patterns regular, I’m able to let my brain and body fall into a natural routine — it is a key thing for my health.
Give myself grace: with having bipolar disorder, even though I can try my hardest to stay in a stable state, there are moments I can swing into a manic phase or depressive episode. During the moments when I can feel either creeping closer, I remember to give myself and my body grace. Clearly, my body is trying to tell me something, so I try to listen. If I spend too much in a manic phase, I keep my receipts and am not ashamed to return things once it’s passed. If I’ve lost touch with friends during a depressive episode, I humbly reach back out to establish contact and explain why I was so distant. By giving myself grace, I’ve learned to love my mind and body for how strong it is by consistently protecting me.
Schedule self-care: routines are my thing — you’ve caught that, right? When I feel like a depressive phase is coming close, I’ll help future me by writing little love notes to my mind. I’ll also write in my planner reminders to brush my teeth, take a shower, eat lunch, etc. to make sure I’m still taking care of myself.
Speak it outloud: ﬁnally, I share what’s going on inside my brain. While it might be scary to open up about an intrusive thought, the moment I speak it outloud the fear loses its grip on me. By sharing with trusted friends, loved ones and family, I’m able to help myself by learning I’m not alone and have people who love me.

If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of wellness to the most amount of people, what would that be?

Wow. The sky’s the limit when it comes to my dreams within the mental health space. Someday, I would love to speak with employers on how to best support their employees and care for everyone’s mental health. The world is so burnt out right now, and no amount of pizza parties or HR training on lunch breaks will solve that without real conversations and actions.

What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why?

Failing is good — that means you’re learning… Your setbacks can truly become setups for something better
BE YOURSELF — because literally everyone else is already taken
Don’t let society put you in a box — ﬂip the script and create your own molds
Not everyone is going to like you — that’s ok!!!!!!!
You don’t need to reach everyone — focus on one. If you reach just one person with your unique message, then your purpose is fulﬁlled.

Sustainability, veganism, mental health and environmental changes are big topics at the moment. Which one of these causes is dearest to you, and why?

While they all hold incredibly important roles within my life, mental health is such a priority to me. I truly wouldn’t be

where I am now as a human if it wasn’t for the battles I went through in order to ﬁnd a proper diagnosis for my mental illnesses. My entire life was crumbling around me, and even though I cared about all those important issues, I realized I wasn’t physically able to begin helping others until I chose to help myself. It seems counterintuitive, but you really do need to ﬁll your own cup before trying to ﬁll others’. By focusing on my mental health and ﬁnding a state of healthy and safe Amanda, I am now able to turn my focus to others and their needs.

What is the best way our readers can follow you online?

You can ﬁnd me everywhere online at @that_manda_girl and my website thatmandagirl.com

Thank you for these fantastic insights!

Women In Wellness: Amanda Young of Sunshine and Rainbows Podcast On The Five Lifestyle Tweaks That… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Female Disruptors: Jennifer Mills of Med-X On The Three Things You Need To Shake Up Your Industry

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

Never give up. I saw an image one day and I think of it often to keep me on track. There’s a man who gave up digging looking for wealth. In this case it’s a diamond mine. He’s seen walking away because he’s given up and if he had taken one more crack at it, he would have found a mountain of diamonds. It says “Never give up on your dreams.” Then there’s another guy digging away even though he’s not even close to the diamonds. It says “You never know how close you are.”

As a part of our series about women who are shaking things up in their industry, I had the pleasure of interviewing Jennifer Mills.

Jennifer Mills is the President, Director and Corporate Secretary of Med-X, Inc, a leading innovator of all-natural green scene solutions addressing the pest control, health and wellness markets. Jennifer has worked for multiple companies in her career as a high-level accounting liaison, as well as in Human Resources and project management. Jennifer oversees the development of Med-X’s line of green, non-toxic brands that provide families with safer, natural alternatives — including Nature-Cide, Thermal-Aid and Malibu Brands.

I was adopted from Korea at the age of 7 and had to learn English fairly quickly. The tutors and teachers made such a positive impact on me that I wanted to be a teacher to give back to children what I was given. Although I may have gone down a different career path, my desire to help others has always been a part of me. So, when my husband, Matthew Mills, and I decided to go into business for ourselves, we created a natural heating and cooling product that we thought could make a big difference in the lives of others. This product became our first natural pain management product in the health and wellness industry known as Thermal-Aid and the Thermal-Aid Zoo for children.

Can you tell our readers what it is about the work you’re doing that’s disruptive?

In a world that has pushed the idea that chemicals and pills are your best sources for pest control and pain management, our products are now breaking down that barrier by offering natural alternatives that are just as effective, if not better.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? What lessons did you learn from that?

It took me a while to be more assertive when it came to the design of our products, especially when it came to the design of our first box for our Thermal-Aid product. I have to admit that while I understood why my husband Matthew wanted to design our first product box the way we did, it was not good. We limited ourselves to just the medical field and it was not appealing to retail customers. One of the toughest lessons to learn is to hand off tasks that you don’t have experience in. I have ideas of what I like and want to see, but need to speak up and hire others to make that vision come to life.

We all need a little help along the journey. Who have been some of your mentors? Can you share a story about how they made an impact?

There isn’t just a single individual who made an impact on me during this journey but rather a large group of people. I saw individuals grow their businesses and brands to make a positive impact on consumers and non-profit organizations to help animals and individuals in need. Also, seeing commercials from The Honest Company or St. Jude’s always made me want to make a difference in someone’s life.

In today’s parlance, being disruptive is usually a positive adjective. But is disrupting always good? When do we say the converse, that a system or structure has ‘withstood the test of time’? Can you articulate to our readers when disrupting an industry is positive, and when disrupting an industry is ‘not so positive’? Share some examples of what you mean.

Our focus of being a disrupter falls on the health and wellness sector, with an emphasis on pointing out the issues with continued regular use of chemicals and pharmaceuticals being dangerous to one’s health and the environment. Med-X is truly making a difference to consumers and professionals alike with our product divisions. In my opinion, a negative example of disrupting an industry falls on the food industry, when a food manufacturer creates a plant-based product that is unhealthy and more fattening than what they are trying to replace. One product that comes to mind is the cooking oil substitute called Olestra which is still very controversial to this day.

Can you share 3 of the best words of advice you’ve gotten along your journey? Please give a story or example for each.

To say “Thank You” for the good and the bad that comes your way. I always write “Thank you for the money” on my bills when I receive them. It reminds me to be grateful that I have money to pay the bill and to focus on what I want instead of what I don’t have. It takes a lot of practice to do this but it just makes sense. In a world of duality, up/down, hot/cold, wet/dry, etc. If you focus on the negative things in your life, you’re going to continue to attract negative things. It goes without saying that if you focus on the positive things then you’ll attract more positive things.

Never give up. I saw an image one day and I think of it often to keep me on track. There’s a man who gave up digging looking for wealth. In this case it’s a diamond mine. He’s seen walking away because he’s given up and if he had taken one more crack at it, he would have found a mountain of diamonds. It says “Never give up on your dreams.” Then there’s another guy digging away even though he’s not even close to the diamonds. It says “You never know how close you are.”

How are you going to shake things up next?

Med-X has a major focus on product development with a variety of new products in the pipeline. Our distribution relations are quite sizable and there is plenty of demand for more health, wellness and environmentally friendly products. Our plan as a company is to not only continue to develop these types of products, but search high and low to help other companies who may have unique products that fit into these categories and collaborate and position these types of products alongside ours within our distribution arms.

In your opinion, what are the biggest challenges faced by ‘women disruptors’ that aren’t typically faced by their male counterparts?

I feel like there aren’t enough women who feel comfortable enough to put themselves in a position to stir things up. There’s a level of fear of not being taken seriously or being accepted. As much as things have changed for the positive, there still are barriers that exist to keep women out of those positions.

Do you have a book/podcast/talk that’s had a deep impact on your thinking? Can you share a story with us?

There are two books that I read every year. The first is The Secret and the second is Secrets of the Millionaire Mind. Both books have helped me change my perspective on money and understand the different aspects of my life. I gave a copy of The Secret to my oldest daughter and once she read it and started to utilize the lessons into her life, she would randomly call me and tell me how it worked.

You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be?

The main thing I like to practice daily is to be kind. It’s so simple yet I don’t think people do it enough. It’s one thing to say it versus actually doing it. Our society is moving at a fast pace and people tend to not practice small acts of kindness. The common practice of opening a door for a mother with a stroller or for an elderly individual, or even just saying hello to someone in an elevator seems to be something of the past, or at least from what I’ve seen and experienced lately. If I’m able to put a smile on someone’s face even for a moment, I’m glad to have been part of it. It would be amazing to see kindness spread and grow in today’s society.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? How has that been relevant to you in your life?

Thoughts = Feelings = Actions = Results. This life lesson has helped me realize that if I’m not getting the results I want, I have to change something — and that starts with my thoughts. I’ve used this both in business and in my personal life.

How can our readers follow you online?

You can find me on LinkedIn. I’m also active on Twitter @JenniferMills21.

This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for joining us!

Female Disruptors: Jennifer Mills of Med-X On The Three Things You Need To Shake Up Your Industry was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Female Disruptors: Author Trisha Ridinger McKee On The Three Things You Need To Shake Up Your…

Female Disruptors: Author Trisha Ridinger McKee On The Three Things You Need To Shake Up Your Industry

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

Learn from criticism. If you have several people telling you the same thing, it’s time to perk up and listen.

As a part of our series about women who are shaking things up in their industry, I had the pleasure of interviewing Trisha Ridinger McKee.

Trisha Ridinger McKee is a multi-genre writer and is currently the author of seven novels. Her debut novel Beyond the Surface was a finalist in All Author for Best Romance of 2020. Her short stories have been featured in over 150 publications, including Chicken Soup for the Soul, Crab Fat Literary, Myslexia, Tablet, The Terror House, and more.

As a child in a particularly hostile household, I daydreamed to escape. Before I could write, I would lie in bed and dream of any place other than where I was. It was how I survived. Once I learned to read and write, I wrote those daydreams down. By age 14, I had written four book-length manuscripts. It was my escape, and at the time, it was not something I was ready to share.

Can you tell our readers what it is about the work you’re doing that’s disruptive?

I’m not only a female publishing in genres such as horror and sci-fi, but I’m also a female publishing in such different genres. Romance, sci-fi, horror, lit… I love trying the different tones and styles that take me out of my comfort zone. Sometimes we, as authors, are encouraged to stay in one lane. But what fun is that?

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

Oh, not sure about the funniest mistake, but I learned to do my research. Not all publishers are legit, and sometimes it isn’t clear what the scam is. And not everyone wants to see you succeed. I have such a different mindset that it never occurred to me that some people would even be angry about any step forward in my journey.

I’m still stumbling through this wild ride. I think a lot of authors come into this thinking that they simply write the book, and the rest will take care of itself. Reality hits hard and fast though once the time comes to publish. There is little hand-holding in the writing world.

And I learned that I have to be my biggest cheerleader. I was so afraid of “bragging” that I held back on announcing some achievements, when in reality, it is marketing. It is letting your readers know where your short stories will be and when your latest book will be out. And I learned that it is also okay to brag a little, to celebrate those small victories.

We all need a little help along the journey. Who have been some of your mentors? Can you share a story about how they made an impact?

As I mentioned before, I did not have the easiest childhood. I lived in a small town, so there was no way to hide it. I had teachers that really nurtured my love for writing. My English teacher in my senior year was so kind, and he encouraged me to keep writing. My gym teacher once told me, “You are one of those kids that really shine once you get out of this environment. I just know it.” And that meant the world to me. It gave me hope that there was something beyond this darkness. And of course, the authors of the books I read gave me comfort and took me places away from the sadness I was living.

Oh, what a great question! I think there’s a fine line between good disruptions and bad disruptions. When I submit a sci-fi story to a magazine, I can only hope that my story speaks for itself. Writing sci-fi was new to me, but there was such a large market for the short stories, I studied, I practiced, I kept trying. And I broke through.

I think complaining about things can be a bad disruption. All people hear is negativity. I would much rather study the problem and think of a way to get through the cracks.

I am also a big believer in knowing the rules inside and out before you decide to break them. As a writer, I know grammar. I also know how to break the grammar rules to highlight an emotion or a point in my writing. Again, it’s a thin line.

Can you share 3 of the best words of advice you’ve gotten along your journey? Please give a story or example for each.

Learn from criticism. If you have several people telling you the same thing, it’s time to perk up and listen.

Along the same lines, always be learning. I would hate to think that I know everything about writing. I want to improve, to try new things, to learn new ways. That is so exciting to me.

While it is important to know what readers love, it is also vital that you remain true to what you love. Tell that story in a way that is unique. People don’t know they love it until they have a chance to read it.

We are sure you aren’t done. How are you going to shake things up next?

I’ve broken into the short story market for horror and sci-fi, but my novels have mainly been women’s lit. I currently have a sci-fi manuscript with an agent. And later this year, I have plans to start a thriller. So many things planned to shake things up!

In your opinion, what are the biggest challenges faced by ‘women disruptors’ that aren’t typically faced by their male counterparts?

Being a female disruptor comes with its challenges. We are typically considered to be “trying” instead of “having done”. I always get “Oh, you’re trying to write horror.” Considering I’ve been published in dozens of magazines geared toward that genre, I’d say I’ve done well.

I think we are taught to not be assertive, not try to hard to get that foot in the door. But that’s exactly what we should do. Try new things, ask for that raise, write that book! Make connections without apologizing!

Do you have a book/podcast/talk that’s had a deep impact on your thinking? Can you share a story with us?

Oh my. I wish I had some deep answer about a complicated piece of writing, but the book that had the most impact on me was The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton. I read the book when I was in second grade. And although I had little in common with the main character, Ponyboy just resonated with me. The feeling of not belonging, the desire for a better life… I read that book so many times that year and in years to come, because I was fascinated with how the author could do that — how I could relate so well to a character that on the surface was nothing like me. It was like magic. A spell that drew me in and held me captive from the first word to the last sentence.

You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂

I think anyone with a goal should keep their eyes on their own journey. I love learning from others, but I’m careful not to compare myself or my achievements. We are all on our own path, neither is right or wrong, too slow or too fast. When you are busy comparing, you are taking time and energy away from achieving your goal. Small steps are still getting you closer, and that’s what matters, right?

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

I love the quote “All that wander are not lost”. I seemed to take a longer path than others in some life goals. I finished college after getting married and having a child. I have written all my life, but I only started to send my writing out when I was in my 40s. And looking back, I see the benefits for me in doing that. I had fun along the way, I learned as I wandered. I healed.

How can our readers follow you online?

My website is www.trishamckee.com My books are available at www.amazon.com/author/trishamckee/ Connect with me on www.facebook.com/authortrishamckee/

This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for joining us!

Female Disruptors: Author Trisha Ridinger McKee On The Three Things You Need To Shake Up Your… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Female Disruptors: Psyche Terry of Urban Hydration On The Three Things You Need To Shake Up Your…

Female Disruptors: Psyche Terry of Urban Hydration On The Three Things You Need To Shake Up Your Industry

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

Accountability. It’s incredible now to remember standing up in a meeting with a factory that told me they were not going to make the order that I had already committed to send to my retail partners. I had planned on them supplying my goods and they dropped the ball. I was left to figure it out. I decided to start a factory and make it ourselves. Our family came together and did it. While I was 34 weeks pregnant we made sugar scrubs night and day to save the order.

As a part of our series about women who are shaking things up in their industry, I had the pleasure of interviewing Psyche Terry.

Psyche Terry, Beauty Boss and Beauty Queen, most recently crowned America’s Most Beautiful, 2022 Mrs. Texas is a fashion and beauty expert and a co-founder and CEO of UI Global Brands, a global manufacturer and nationwide marketer of consumer products with its keystone clean beauty brand, Urban Hydration.

A seasoned executive, creative thought leader, and advocate for education, Terry funds college scholarship programs for students majoring in business at the Haworth College of Business. She also sits on the board of directors for both the Boys & Girls Clubs of Collin County and the WMU Alumni Association Board. She has been honored as Woman of The Year, Economic Empowerer of the Year, Outstanding Young Alumni, and Philanthropist of the Year, as well as being named one of the Top 25 Moguls and Influencers to Know. Psyche has done countless local and national media interviews including being featured in Good Morning America, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, The Steve Harvey Show, ESPN and Fox News.

Terry holds an MBA from the University of Nevada Las Vegas Lee Business School, and a BA from WMU Haworth. She is a wife of nearly 20 years, a mother of three, and fitness lover. Psyche enjoys spending time reading biographies, watching marvel movies, learning about new fashion and beauty trends, dancing, roller skating, and hanging with her kids and their new puppy. In her spare time, she teaches Zumba weekly and is also a certified fitness instructor.

A self-proclaimed “better maker,” Terry, and her husband started Urban Hydration to provide better-made packaged products for dry skin and hair. Founded as a small online store in 2010, today Urban Hydration products are sold in more than 30,000 retailers across the nation.

Driven by a dedication to community, giving back, and saving the planet through clean beauty, Urban Hydration committed to providing clean drinking water for communities in need through a keystone partnership with WATERisLIFE in 2016. With each purchase of an Urban Hydration product, one gallon of water is donated to a community without ready access to clean drinking water. Through an outpouring of consumer support, Urban Hydration generously contributed to the construction of four clean drinking water wells.

As a kid all the way through my adult life I’ve suffered with dry skin and dry hair and I went from being teased in elementary to having low self esteem in my teenage years to finally as an adult visiting the dermatologist so that I could at least control my eczema and dry skin from getting in the way of my newly married life. I realized that I was prescribed over the counter creams that were filled with chemicals and made me really feel like a doctor’s Patient, more than a new sexy wife. I decided to research the problem that the doctor specifically said I had and look up natural plant based and affordable ingredients from all over the word to help resolve my problem. From there I worked with a local non profit that I sat as a board member for to create this bath and body line while giving them a new brand to use as a fundraiser. From there Urban Hydration was born.

Can you tell our readers what it is about the work you’re doing that’s disruptive?

We still work with nonprofits. In fact now we work solely with WATERisLIFE. We provide more than a gallon of drinking water to communities in Kenya for every product we sell. We’ve disrupted Kenya all the way from the US by helping over 100,000 people have access to clean drinking water. We’ve disrupted their communities where little girls are usually known for leaving home on long journeys to get water for the family. In the villages we serve, which is a pastime. We disrupt the market because not only is our product plant based but it is also affordable. The pharmacist that gave me prescriptions had some pretty high ticketed items for me. But all of Urban Hydration’s products are under $15.00.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

My very first pitch to Walmart would have the opportunity to scale up from selling from our home and to church members.

I unfortunately printed my labels on something like food plastic wrap and when we went to pick up each product a sheet of black Inc remaining for days in your hands.

We all need a little help along the journey. Who have been some of your mentors? Can you share a story about how they made an impact?

The highlight of Women Owned, independent owned and Black Owned businesses over recent years is absolutely remarkable. The fact that retail stores are identifying with brands that can communicate with niche markets that they have a hard time reaching is a great example of how this new age is disruptive in a good way. Our company gets compliments and parts from all over the world and when governments get involved in business matters where it ends up costing small businesses like mine hundreds of thousands of dollars because the distribution impacts us negatively and even harder than a larger business. This is tough to get through. It’s why so many small businesses closed during Covid-19.

Can you share 3 of the best words of advice you’ve gotten along your journey? Please give a story or example for each.

3 best words:

Ingenuity. Being willing to use my savings on an idea that I was sure to help save me and my kids and husband was quite the struggle but I could just feel that the world was as thirsty as I was for plant based affordable care.

Authenticity. As a wife and Mother of 3 I’ve been able to be real and share when I’m up and when I’m down. I allow my kids to be real and authentic with me and I remember that I wasn’t raised that way. I was raised to be what “they” need you to be. I didn’t enjoy that part of my life very much. I’ve made it a point that at Urban Hydration we are all real with each other and our customers provide only the transparent best that we can.

Accountability. It’s incredible now to remember standing up in a meeting with a factory that told me they were not going to make the order that I had already committed to send to my retail partners. I had planned on them supplying my goods and they dropped the ball. I was left to figure it out. I decided to start a factory and make it ourselves. Our family came together and did it. While I was 34 weeks pregnant we made sugar scrubs night and day to save the order.

We are sure you aren’t done. How are you going to shake things up next?

We want to be the most affordable and recognizable plant based personal care brand in the world. That means if you have dry skin and or hair and you wash with it, moisturize with it, clean with it or deodorize with it, we want to be your go to for generations to come. It’s a lot to bite off but we are going for it.

In your opinion, what are the biggest challenges faced by ‘women disruptors’ that aren’t typically faced by their male counterparts?

It’s tough when people ask me if Urban Hydration is for women only or people of color only. I think I’d never ask about a brand I’d been using for decades if it was specially for me. But now that more women are entering into spaces we’ve been asked to segment and segregate our offerings.

Do you have a book/podcast/talk that’s had a deep impact on your thinking? Can you share a story with us?

I have a podcast that I absolutely love sharing our story with Women Winners. It’s called Girls That Win on Spotify. Please check it out. I’m working on a book so please stay tuned.

My movement would be to be joyful. To have joy really means building a feeling that is unbothered, good or bad. I would love for a movement of people that care and are joyful all at the same time. I think our work places would be easier to work in and our homes would be warmer to live in.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”?

Be a better maker and earn it to own it.

Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

This is what I strive for everyday is to be better and do better and give more than I did the day before to myself and to the people and places around me that income into contact with.

How can our readers follow you online?

Please find me at psycheterry.com and shop our brand and help support WATERISLIFE at www.urbanhydration.com

This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for joining us!

Female Disruptors: Psyche Terry of Urban Hydration On The Three Things You Need To Shake Up Your… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Female Founders: Erin DeMarines of E Fit Foods On The Five Things You Need To Thrive and Succeed as…

Female Founders: Erin DeMarines of E Fit Foods On The Five Things You Need To Thrive and Succeed as a Woman Founder

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

The biggest lesson that I learned is that a “yes” is not always a “yes,” but more importantly, a “no” is not always a “no.” I look at every “no” as a big maybe and tell myself that I will be back to change their mind and get the sale.

As a part of our series about “Why We Need More Women Founders”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Erin DeMarines.

Entrepreneur and chef Erin DeMarines, a 20-year Vegan and athlete, has developed and created her plant-based recipes and launched her own company. Turning her love and passion for food and fitness into a life-long career, Erin devoted herself to educating, creating, coaching, and guiding clients to a plant-based lifestyle. Erin is currently working with Tampa Bay chefs to create recipes for their restaurants to become more inclusive of plant-based dishes and working on her cookbook, and expanding her business, E Fit Foods, Inc., with new and exciting plant protein-focused snacks, including the 3BAR energy bar available nationwide, and Plant-Powered Pop launching end of May.

I started running with my dad at the age of four, and I guess you could say I never looked back. My love for running turned into triathlons, and the quest for nutritional knowledge to support any competitive advantage I could get turned into my vegan career path! When my coach suggested, I give up dairy for three days to clear my sinuses while training, the results were mind-blowing. Struck by this inspirational feeling of clearness, I started studying the effects of dairy on our bodies and knew I needed dairy-free fuel for my competitions. I began devouring every nutrition course I could and eventually added sports nutritionists to my resume.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began leading your company?

As a trainer in Los Angeles in the late 90’s, I was often invited to my clients’ houses for parties and events, and I would always show up with my cookies that I learned how to make from my grandmother. Always a crowd-pleaser, one of my clients asked me if I could make them healthier for her. HERE IS THE LIGHT BULB MOMENT. I spent hours swapping out ingredients until I landed on my first of many formulations. And the next day she tasted them and bought them all! Soon I was getting orders from her friends, and the word spread fast. The next thing I knew, I was making them every night and selling them out of my tiny studio apartment; thus, the e-bar, now 3BAR, was born.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

Making them every night with every flavor I could think of until my arm would cramp. I used to joke that my right bicep was always bigger because of the way I stirred the ingredients. I should have stuck with the original flavor, which today is still my best seller and not tried so many others. I would invite my friends over and feed them good wine so they would help me weigh each bar and package them with a heat sealer. It was truly comical. I learned that perseverance and grit far outweigh any handout. If I hadn’t been so passionate about what I was doing, I would never be where I am today!

Oh yes, my CMO, Brandie! I interviewed her to help with social media & marketing but quickly realized it’s impossible to go a day without her by my side to help with everything. She is the reason I am answering these questions right now. Since working with her, I have gained a true friend and someone who believes in me wholeheartedly. She has become a part of my family! She shares my love of delicious food and great coffee! And, most importantly, she pushes me out of my comfort zone to achieve the dream I am so passionate about!

The first thought that comes to mind is money. I have not once talked to a woman banker or investor, even in the Small Business Administration. I have been in business for over 20 years, bootstrapping it the entire time. This is holding us back. The second thought is our role as mothers; we are constantly struggling with what society still thinks our duties are. Most of us still do the job of being a mother with the incredible demands of growing a company. It is a constant battle to do both well, which often means self-care is nearly impossible. We are innately givers, and sometimes we give it all away with forgetting to give to ourselves.

Can you help articulate a few things that can be done as individuals, as a society, or by the government, to help overcome those obstacles?

We need more females in positions of power to help these smaller businesses. I am not speaking only financially, but a place for guidance, advice, mentorship, and or direction. I still do not understand how our government could bail out so many meat and dairy farmers while the change-makers like myself are creating products that are plant-based to help the future of this planet. This needs to change. And it needs to change fast.

This might be intuitive to you as a woman founder but I think it will be helpful to spell this out. Can you share a few reasons why more women should become founders?

We are inherently multi-taskers, not just in tasks but in our thought processes. This does give us the advantage as founders of being able to look at the whole picture with many different paths to get to it. Women founders lead with compassion and empathy even while running a business with a strong backbone. Our ability to push through, speak up, and support each other gives the next generation of women a leg up. I truly believe we are open to hearing and adapting when someone suggests a different path when making business decisions. We are empowered to feed the cycle of equitability in all aspects of business.

What are the “myths” that you would like to dispel about being a founder? Can you explain what you mean?

The biggest myth is the title, “Founder.” I think the appropriate title should be, “creator!” As a female creator people assume we have our shit together. Most days I am just trying to get through that day, that hour, and even that minute while so many things are being thrown at me all while trying figure out what I am making my family for dinner, if I put the clothes in the dryer, and made my daughter lunch!

No, not everyone is cut out to be a founder. You have to be scrappy and sometimes unapologetic. You have to be willing to always be working. You have to be willing to say yes when you want to say no. And most importantly, you have to see the closed doors simply as speed bumps that you coast over. You have to TAKE THE DOUBT OUT. The universe is a powerful place, but to truly be open, is a hard place to be when the mundane tasks are piling up, and it is up to you for 100% of everything. The responsibility is so tough that many women might not be up for such a challenge. I actually applaud those women. It is better to know what your limits are and be able to turn off your workday when you walk through the door. As a founder, that is one thing I can never do.

Ok super. Here is the main question of our interview. What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why? (Please share a story or example for each.)

I wish someone told me you don’t have to have an exact plan. I was so fixated on getting a business plan written that really never did much for me. I even had a university use my company twice for their masters project for Entrepreneurship. Both times and a lot of my time working with the students to quantify the information for the plan. It really didn’t get me any real-time data on the next steps.

The plan is never the plan. You have to pivot constantly. Just when you think you have it figured out, someone or something throws a curveball at you. After creating the energy bar, I had so many people pushing back on one of the ingredients, and even though I knew that the ingredient was healthy, the public’s perception is way more important, so I took the ingredient out, which cost me thousands of dollars.

I wish someone had told me that finding a mentor is extremely hard.

If someone told me it was going to be this tough, I would have done it anyway. I am a true believer that your path in life is given to you. But I do wish someone would have told me how hard it is to find the guidance I need. After 20 years in business, I still would welcome a female mentor to give me some tips. I did speak to a female founder for some advice, but she was extremely busy and didn’t seem to have the time to devote to what I needed. So where do we go? Who do we trust? One female mentor I thought I could trust told me if I wanted to succeed, I should split the company up and become less than 50% owner. So glad I didn’t listen to her.

I wish someone told me it is still a man’s world. I know it is changing, but I still run into conversations with a man who thinks my company is just a hobby even though I am distributing it nationwide. And often, I get the question, what does your husband do? As if this somehow should matter. Every time this happens, I immediately start to do the self-talk thing confirming that it still needs changing.

I wish someone would have told me that the people closest to you may not truly have your back, or understand the struggles, or even give you the praise you need. This is a big one for me. I had a teenage tragedy at 17, which truly affected me in one life-changing moment. I went from a child to an adult in an instant and realized I was alone. That’s why it’s so important to have your own back, but it is still a struggle. But it also taught me so much on survival and perseverance. I still crave the acknowledgment of what I consider wins on occasion, but often male figures are looking for the money as the only win. If this is where I end my career (which will never happen), I am still proud to say that I created something on my stove 24 years ago that people all over the US, and soon Canada are walking in and buying in stores. You have to be your own biggest cheerleader. No one can truly understand because they are not walking in your shoes.

I wish someone would have told me how valuable your connections can be. I often feel because I am in constant need of something to grow this business, I often overlook where a person may need to have my undivided attention. They may need a hug, or to tell me what they might need. I am learning this lesson every day, and it is a constant struggle. As a founder, you wear so many hats, that letting your brain have a time out to connect with another human is really hard. I often feel restless, distracted, and not truly present.

Lastly, the biggest lesson that I learned is that a “yes” is not always a “yes,” but more importantly, a “no” is not always a “no.” I look at every “no” as a big maybe and tell myself that I will be back to change their mind and get the sale.

How have you used your success to make the world a better place?

By changing the perception that vegan food tastes bad. By inspiring others to change their diet one bite at a time and then watching that person change for the better. That is my biggest reward in life. Now, if this person who is now getting off all their medications because they switched to a plant predominantly diet tells others, the ripple effect is huge. Now, if you can multiply this over and over again, we are on to something.

That is easy! I want to put an end to factory farming and animal agriculture that is killing our planet. I want to do this by creating more and more vegan products to change the perception that these products taste bad or that you will be missing protein. Since working with local restaurants and introducing them to a plant-based option, I see that people are open, but they need to taste to believe. I truly believe that we can create even more jobs in the plant-based sector if we could have the government bailing us out as they do the factory farms.

Rich Roll. He is a change maker, an inspiration, a true life-changing human. The guests that he has had on his podcast are also change-makers. These guests, including Mel Robins, Simon Hill, and Raghunath Cappo have actually changed my life, my thoughts, my motivation, and most importantly my self-love.

Boom. Mic drop!

Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this.

Female Founders: Erin DeMarines of E Fit Foods On The Five Things You Need To Thrive and Succeed as… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Female Disruptors: Master Blender and Malt Master Stephanie Macleod On The Three Things You Need To…

Female Disruptors: Master Blender and Malt Master Stephanie Macleod On The Three Things You Need To Shake Up Your Industry

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

I’ve been given lots of good advice along the way — but the best piece of advice I’ve been given is always around never giving up, don’t quit, keep going, you matter. We all get disheartened sometimes and we need to hear encouragement to help us remind us of our potential.

As a part of our series about women who are shaking things up in their industry,I had the pleasure of interviewing Stephanie Macleod.

Being highly qualified for this prestigious role, Stephanie Macleod is accomplished in the sensory analyses of whisky, with specific training in the fine art of blending.

She began her career in whisky as a Sensory Analyst at the University of Strathclyde, Scotland, working on a project which attempted to unlock the maturation secrets of Scotch whisky. Stephanie has also studied rum, olive oil, wine and cheese, publishing a number of scientific papers.

In 1998, Stephanie joined John Dewar & Sons in the Spirit Quality Laboratories at the Company’s head office in Glasgow. Becoming Blender Designate in 2003, she began her official three-year training with the then Master Blender, Tom Aitken, before stepping in to the role herself in 2006 to become the first female Master Blender for Dewar’s.

With the expansion of the Scotch whisky portfolio in 2014, John Dewar’s & Sons launched multiple age expressions from all five of their malt distilleries and Malt Master was added to the Master Blender title. Stephanie overseas the quality of the maturing casks from each of the single malts of Aberfeldy, Aultmore, Craigellachie, The Deveron and Royal Brackla, from the barley to the bottle.

Painstakingly nosing each cask to monitor maturation and flavor development within John Dewar’s & Sons extensive cask inventory, the traditional use of her expert sensory skills ensures that every whisky bottled is complex, balanced, and brimming with distillery character.

Stephanie’s knowledge and expertise in whisky making was acknowledged by Whisky Magazine’s Icons of Whisky Scotland in 2018 by awarding her Master Blender of the Year. In 2019, Stephanie made history by becoming the first woman to be awarded Master Blender of the Year in the International Whisky Competition and then retaining this prestigious title in 2020. Most recently in 2021, their Single Malts range was awarded an astounding 11 double gold medals in the San Francisco Spirits Competition, further testament to her expertise and the long-standing commitment of John Dewar & Sons to the craft of whisky making.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit more. Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

In the Scotch whisky business, every day is a learning experience. Any preconceived ideas that you may have, need to be left at the door to allow the flexibility to learn from your mistakes.

We all need a little help along the journey. Who have been some of your mentors? Can you share a story about how they made an impact?

My first work mentor was Dr. John Piggott. He encouraged me to join his whisky research group, taught me about flavor and sensory analysis, and kindled the fire that became my passion for Scotch whisky. Along the way, I have had many other people who have been generous with their time and their advice and who have given me food for thought.

It’s important to have people tell us the things that are hard to hear, but necessary for our growth.

As a scientist, training the techniques of experimenting, testing, thinking, and then repeating is part of how my team and I approach creating new expressions. The Scotch whisky industry is very much perceived as traditional, but as an industry, we constantly embrace new techniques, in order to more efficiently and sustainably create Scotch whisky. I once read a quotation by Gustav Mahler ‘Tradition is not the worship of ashes, but the preservation of fire.’ This made a huge impact on me, “we don’t abandon the elements that have made us great, but equally we’re not afraid to lose the parts that could hold us back.”

Can you share 3 of the best words of advice you’ve gotten along your journey? Please give a story or example for each.

I’ve been given lots of good advice along the way — but the best piece of advice I’ve been given is always around never giving up, don’t quit, keep going, you matter. We all get disheartened sometimes and we need to hear encouragement to help us remind us of our potential.

We are sure you aren’t done. How are you going to shake things up next?

I’m planning a new building dedicated to whisky making — planning, experimenting, educating, and inspiring. I can’t say any more about it yet, but it makes me smile whenever I am working on it.

In your opinion, what are the biggest challenges faced by ‘women disruptors’ that aren’t typically faced by their male counterparts?

Everyone has challenges but what we do to overcome them and use them to our advantage makes the difference.

Do you have a book/podcast/talk that’s had a deep impact on your thinking? Can you share a story with us?

The Alchemist, with its ties to gold (much like ABERFELDY) and message that we make our own good fortune through hard work and determination, is a novel that has had an extraordinary impact on my life.

I hope that I’m visible to students and graduates as they think about what they should do with their career. I want them to see me and believe that they could be part of the whisky industry and then pursue that goal.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

“Don’t ever make decisions based on fear. Make decisions based on hope and possibility. Make decisions based on what should happen, not what shouldn’t.” — Michelle Obama.

We often don’t take a chance in life because we are afraid that it will lead to failure, we need to instead think not of the fear, but of the possibilities it could bring. I’ve made some ridiculous decisions in my life based on fear of making a mistake — as you get older you realize the folly of being led by fear.

How can our readers follow you online?

ABERFELDY official website: https://www.aberfeldy.com/

Follow ABERFELDY on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/aberfeldy/

Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this.

Female Disruptors: Master Blender and Malt Master Stephanie Macleod On The Three Things You Need To… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.