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.
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?
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.
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.
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?
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.
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’? Can you share some examples of what you mean?
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.
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.
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?
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?
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’? Can you share some examples of what you mean?
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.
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. 🙂
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 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.
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?
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!
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?
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!
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?
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!
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?
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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’? Can you share some examples of what you mean?
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.
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 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.
Is your passion stronger than your excuses? In a conversation with the first coach I have ever hired, I was sharing my vision of what I felt called to create in the world, and the challenges I perceived with trying to make a difference in the world while also prioritizing my family. My coach Adam responded by saying “Carie, is your passion stronger than your excuses?” It stopped me in my tracks, and I realized as I focused on what I perceived to get in the way, it was preventing me from making it possible, and if instead I poured my energy into fueling the vision, I could create solutions to make it a reality. I have this question written on my calendar as a reminder.
As a part of our series about women who are shaking things up in their industry, I had the pleasure of interviewing Carie Bailey.
Carie Bailey works privately with high profile change-makers to become even more successful in their private life than they already are professionally so they can magnify their intentional impact in the world.
Through investing 24 years in partnering intellect with inspiration and studying human development, psychology, relationships, integrative health and wellness, and healing trauma and attachment wounds, Carie discovered the root cause of relational division and disconnection, and how we each can activate our ability to liberate ourselves from it.
It is Carie’s mission to cause a collective remembering of who we truly are- healing disconnection from our higher nature to fundamentally shift how we show up in our relationships with others so we can become powerfully present for the rising generation and create unity in our world.
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?
I had a very painful childhood, and even though I was surrounded by adults who may have been able to help me, I didn’t know how to talk about what I was living through with anyone. The one time I mustered up enough courage to try, it did not turn out well, so at a young age I searched for books that would help me understand how to get through life.
My thirst for solutions continued and led me to graduate school where I studied Marriage and Family Therapy. While in graduate school, I took every opportunity I could to go to conferences to meet with the creators of various models of therapy to personally ask them my questions.
My perpetual search for answers was both personal and professional. Over the years I had tried working with several mental health professionals who I knew made an incredible difference for so many people. I couldn’t figure out why, for me, getting to the root cause of my profound loneliness felt like a mosquito itch that no one could quite reach deeply enough to get to.
Even with “strength-based” practitioners, after sharing what felt like just the tip of the iceberg of what I had gone through, time after time it seemed to overwhelm them. I was told that I had the worst level of trauma they had ever seen, or that given what I had gone through I shouldn’t be functional, and my personal favorite- that I should be institutionalized given my Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) score.
So many people I worked with when I worked as a therapist shared with me their unfortunate stories of “going through” many mental health professionals without the improvement in their circumstances they desired. Often I would hear that I was their last hope- that if this didn’t work, they would just accept that there was no hope for them.
Throughout my clinical experience, my colleagues and I were intrigued to find that there was a very noticeable common theme with the individuals, couples, and families who gravitated towards me. They all had horrific and deeply traumatic experiences they were trying to overcome, yet, they each also had a level of resiliency that defied clinical expectations according to the ACEs scale- just like me. I saw in them an incredible strength, determination, and will to overcome that allowed them to turn their pain into fuel to rise above. They had broken the cycle of what they came from for their own children, were successful business owners, and industry pioneers.
Each individual, couple, or family had a different description of what they were in search of, yet, they were all essentially looking for the same thing- deep internal peace, and the ability to finally feel safe enough emotionally with another human being to bring them into their internal world. Each one had created walls or even fortresses around their hearts to protect themselves from getting hurt again, and now in relationships when they wanted to feel deeply seen and connected, these protective barriers had become their prisons and prevented them from being able to feel safe with emotional and for some even physical intimacy.
While my clients came from diverse backgrounds with very different circumstances, the other commonality was actually a trait their parent’s shared. So many of my clients were born to parents who because of their own woundings or constraints could not see their child(ren)’s value and worth, did not have the strength to end damaging transgenerational patterns, or did not know how to become emotionally accessible and safe enough for their child(ren). I discovered that my clients were Children Of The Wounded . . . just like me.
On my personal healing journey, I tried many different approaches and professionals in search of someone or something to heal me, and discovered that I was the one I needed. I learned that I felt disconnected from others because I was disconnected from myself. I realized that the real trauma from my upbringing, even more impactful than what had happened to me, was the impact those experiences had on my relationship with myself.
Due to my experiences, I had abandoned myself by fragmenting from and forgetting who I truly am. My healing was a spiritual journey. I discovered first-hand that there is some pain so deep only heaven can reach it, and that healing this level of trauma would only come by restoring my connection to the part of me that is unmarred by my experiences- the light/strength/power/Divinity within me.
Once I discovered my own self-abandonment, the impact it had on my loved ones, how to heal it, and how to begin to repair the damage I had caused by being numbed out, I finally felt liberated for the first time in my life.
My personal experience with feeling unlovable/not good enough/broken/shattered is not unique, yet too many of us spend our lives struggling with it, or running away from confronting the pain from our past, which impacts those we love in unintentional ways. I do what I do now because I feel called to help people reconnect to their light/strength/power/Divinity within so they can libertate themselves and transform how they show up for their loved ones.
Can you tell our readers what it is about the work you’re doing that’s disruptive?
I have dedicated my life to the study of how the space within us impacts the space between us in relationships, and how to create deep internal peace and transcendent relationships. Through investing 24 years in partnering intellect with inspiration and studying human development, psychology, relationships, integrative health and wellness, and healing trauma and attachment wounds, I discovered the root cause of relational division and disconnection, and how we each can activate our ability to liberate ourselves from it.
Here is the often ignored truth: our Human Default Setting (human nature + nurture) causes disconnection and division, and will prevent us from having deeply fulfilling relationships unless we override this default setting.
I am committed to ushering in a new era of highly conscious and resilient relationships by disrupting the Human Default Setting that causes disconnection to fundamentally shift how we show up in our relationships with others. My role is to share with the world how to override this default condition to obtain deep internal peace, develop the ability to get outside of our own perspective to find the wisdom in a differing view, and co-create innovative and dynamic solutions to complex challenges so we can strengthen our homes and unify our world.
Right now our homes, businesses, communities, and world are immersed in social and political divisiveness caused by disconnection. Individually and collectively we are numbed out, disconnected, distracted, and we have forgotten who we are.
The next generation are the greatest casualties of our self-abandonment. When we are numbed out, distracted, addicted, too busy, and immersed in our own drama, we do not have the eyes to see what others are going through or their needs, the ears to hear what they may not even know how to express, the heart to feel with them through being purely present, or the connection to our light/strength/power/healing/Divinity to reconnect them to theirs.
Right now the youth of our time are attacked on all sides, and they are being robbed of their innocence. Millions of babies/children/teens are being betrayed, abused, neglected, violated, and even trafficked by those they should be able to trust, and they don’t know where to turn for help. They no longer trust us to be able to help them because collectively we have failed them. Right now, there is an entire generation that has become the Children Of The Wounded.
It is our responsibility as adults and leaders to rise to our higher nature to heal the division within ourselves and in the world for the next generation, and to use our influence to create a more profound impact in the world now. When we remember who we truly are (our higher/Divine nature), and transform our default setting, we shed the conditioning and dis-empowering impact from our experiences, and connect to the light/strength/power/healing/Divinity within us. We then see and relate to the world differently, and our ability to show up and be truly present for others in powerful ways shifts dramatically.
To deeply connect to others, we must be connected to our True Selves. To see the light and value in others, we must know the light and value within ourselves.
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 chose to create this business because I felt called forward to serve in a higher and more potent way than I ever have before. I knew I needed to work with people who are deeply committed to making an absolute difference in the world, and who have an ability to influence millions of lives so that through our work together they could create a powerful ripple effect.
Prior to doing what I do now, I was using parts of my skill sets in different ways spread across entirely different populations, and was not incorporating my true superpower (my spirituality) into my work. I was excited to create a business that was finally fully authentic to who I am.
I, however, had no idea how I was going to find someone who fit the vision I had of who I felt called to work with, or how they were going to find me because I didn’t have an online presence.
While volunteering for a non-profit I was introduced to this incredible woman who I instantly felt pulled to work with, and who is exactly who I was creating my business to serve. It took a few months for us to slowly start to get to know each other, and the moment came when she expressed the desire to work with me on a time-sensitive matter. She asked for my prices, and I froze.
I had been so wrapped up in the vision of my work and developing how I was going to serve my clients that I hadn’t quite gotten to figuring out how I was going to get paid.
Instead of an authentic response to her inquiry or offering to connect on a call to explore it (which is what my instinct was to do), I did the one thing that is completely opposite of how I have designed my entire business- I deferred to someone else’s guidance rather than trusting my instinct. I sent her a long formal response that was not authentic to how I would have normally responded to her, and I never heard back.
As I have reflected on this experience, I have realized that for me there are layers to shed in regards to my actions being influenced by the perceptions of others. I tend to believe that I no longer care very much about what other people think, and I don’t spend time worrying about people’s perceptions of me. Yet, in this situation, I was worried that she would find me unprofessional because I didn’t have my prices figured out yet. This experience was a reminder to honor where I am in my process and to follow my instincts.
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?
I used to believe that it was a weakness to rely on others, and being strong meant not needing anyone. I have now been blessed to see that on my journey many people have had an important impact on me.
Growing up I was often told to stop being a “pot stirrer”, so I tried to go the other direction and became a people-pleaser. Not too long ago, I realized that I was born to disrupt for a specific purpose. I would not have remembered who I am or what my role is had it not been for Divine guidance in my life, which has been my greatest mentor, for which I am eternally grateful.
When I remembered who I am and discovered my role, I re-introduced myself to my husband and enrolled him in not letting me shrink back to hiding or people-pleasing. I am truly blessed to be with a man who does not feel threatened by, rather who celebrates me more fully stepping into my power.
For me, the mentors who have had the most impact in my life have been those who had the ability to direct me inwards in search for answers, and who saw in me greater potential than I may have recognized within myself.
Adrienne Williams is an incredible business woman who has become a sister to me. I casually shared with her what may have been a passing idea, and she caught my vision and is the reason I started my own business. Ashim Kumar expanded my vision of where to use my gifts in seeing the need for my skills in Legacy Family Businesses, and introduced me into that world. Adam Rubin encouraged me to more fully embrace and incorporate my spiritual gifts into my work. Shanda Sumpter set a powerful example for me of building a business around my family rather than the other way around. Kathryn Porritt was able to hear my big audacious goals and vision and challenged me to rise even higher and to unapologetically own my gifts. Martina Zorc helped me identify how to describe what it is I do in a way that makes sense to who I am here to serve. Deb Shapiro taught me the power of my voice and how to amplify its impact. Jen Gottlieb and Chris Winfield taught me the importance of bringing my message to the world. Kristin Van Wey has walked alongside me and partnered with me on this journey of remembering who we are and owning our ability to create a profound impact in the world.
My friend Joy Saavedra played a large role in my return to myself, which is what began the journey to where I am now. Joy and I connected at our children’s school and could instantly sense a mutual affinity for deeper conversations. The first time I went to her home, she invited me into a cacao ceremony she had prepared for me. We sat on the floor facing each other drinking our cacao, and she looked me in the eyes and said “So, how is your heart?”
I instantly recognized that like a laser right on the target, she identified the one thing I had avoided wanting to look at. My eyes darted around the room, and I defaulted to my typical tendency of giving a brief answer before deflecting back to her. Though a kind and gentle persistence, she smiled and asked again.
In her presence, I felt something I didn’t realize until I felt it that I had been searching for and craving my entire life- someone who truly cared to deeply see me, and who felt safe enough to bring into my internal world. I could feel with her presence that she had the ability to go into my world as deeply as I was willing to bring her, and that I could share with her the painful experiences from my past (that I had never shared, and that I hadn’t even wanted to look at myself) without it triggering her, and without any judgment.
Her presence and ability to connect with me in this way gave me the courage to finally look at something I had been avoiding, melted the ice around my heart, and activated my ability to know what I needed to do. Her powerful presence caused me to take on a new level of ownership for my life and become more intentional with my impact on others. It woke me up and changed the trajectory of my life.
Imagine the incredible ripple effect that would be possible if we each developed this ability. We each have people in our lives right now who need us to become powerfully present for them in this way. This is the skill set that the world needs right now to heal the division in our world. It starts within ourselves, in our families and intimate relationships, then will ripple out powerfully into the world in significant ways.
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’? Can you share some examples of what you mean?
Discerning what to honor and preserve, what needs to continually evolve, and what needs to be disrupted I believe is best determined when connected to the wisdom within us rather than influenced by what is trendy in our contemporary culture.
Sometimes to correct societal culture, the pendulum can swing excessively to the other polarity with unintended consequences. For example, the feminism movement advocated for an important cause to correct an injustice in society. For some, this pendulum has swung to the extreme and what was created to advocate for the equality of women, in some circles has been translated into the view that women are better than men and don’t need them. Now women with this view are marginalizing men in the way that they originally felt marginalized.
This illustrates the importance of not having our values determined or swayed by pop culture, rather from our higher nature.
Prior to seeking to disrupt a system or structure, it is essential to consider the individual and collective impact and evaluate various methods to achieve the desired result because the method can greatly influence the outcome. For example, many great causes to advocate for equality have backfired once they turn violent or are done in a way which diminishes another, resulting in even more division.
I am not seeking to disrupt because it is trendy, or a decision made from a cognitive place- I am doing what I am doing because I feel Divinely called to it and know it will benefit humanity.
Can you share 3 of the best words of advice you’ve gotten along your journey? Please give a story or example for each.
The most impactful guidance I received on my journey was not advice, but questions that drew me inward in search for the answers. 3 of these questions are:
What did you make that mean? One of the things I explored on my healing journey was transformational programs. I attended a Landmark course, and found myself standing in front of a room full of people being asked to share deeply painful experiences I had gone through. I am a very private person and up to this point had spent my life hiding details of my most challenging times out of shame and embarrassment. Now, in front of an entire room of people I was publicly being asked to share things people in my life didn’t know. I stared at the floor and quickly shared in as few words as I could. The instructor then asked me a question that created a turning point for me in reclaiming my power. After I shared, he asked “What did you make that mean?” As I stood there pondering his question and searching for the answers, I realized that because of what happened to me, I decided I was unlovable, shattered, and unworthy of love. Now, as an adult I was interpreting my husband’s and everyone else’s actions through that lens, and it was up to me to recreate my interpretation of the events of my life. This question continues to impact me as it has become what I regularly ask myself in my interactions with others.
What about the power within yourself? In conversations with my friend Joy (mentioned earlier), I was sharing with her that I didn’t feel connected to a Higher Power like I wanted to, and that in some of the darkest moments of my life as I was searching for this connection for comfort and guidance, I instead felt alone and forsaken. She smiled, and asked “What about the power within yourself- do you feel connected to that?” I instinctively tilted my head as I explored what she was saying, and realized that although I knew of the Divinity within me, I was not accessing my own source of strength, guidance, and comfort. I discovered that like a child learning to walk, I was perpetually seeking to have my hand held without trying to walk on my own- knowing my parents are there and that while that connection is essential, so too is my ability to discover my own strength. This discovery led to the journey of turning what was a flicker inside of me into the flame that it is now.
Is your passion stronger than your excuses? In a conversation with the first coach I have ever hired, I was sharing my vision of what I felt called to create in the world, and the challenges I perceived with trying to make a difference in the world while also prioritizing my family. My coach Adam responded by saying “Carie, is your passion stronger than your excuses?” It stopped me in my tracks, and I realized as I focused on what I perceived to get in the way, it was preventing me from making it possible, and if instead I poured my energy into fueling the vision, I could create solutions to make it a reality. I have this question written on my calendar as a reminder.
We are sure you aren’t done. How are you going to shake things up next?
This is just the beginning for me.
I am determined to flood the world with the tools to be able to own their ability to create deep internal peace, and meaningful and resilient relationships.
I started my work with couples initially because I wanted to change the environment kids were raised in. I am passionate about strengthening family relationships to and sharing with the world how to go from being wounded in relationships (which leads to heartbreak and broken families) to having the power to love resiliently so that we have less marriages that end in divorce.
I would love to work with the next generation of relationships so they could start their marriages being connected to themselves, having shed the disempowering impact of their experiences, and armed with the tools that will help their relationships survive the test of time and grow closer through challenges.
I am currently working on a project that will bring these tools along with means to develop financial, physical, and emotional/mental health and resiliency to 48 countries as part of a global initiative to eradicate child sex and human trafficking by repairing and strengthening homes and family relationships.
In your opinion, what are the biggest challenges faced by ‘women disruptors’ that aren’t typically faced by their male counterparts?
For me, this journey has felt like a lonely one, and I do not yet have a community of women who are on this journey with me. As I have been carving my own path, it has reminded me of a trip I went on to the Amazon jungle where I had a machete and was bushwhacking my way through thick brush carving a path to walk on. Often, I haven’t been able to see the next step to take, and it has been a continual experience of needing to trust, surrender, and perpetually turn inwards. It seems like the vision continues to get bigger than I understood it to be at the beginning of this journey.
At times I have wondered if I am misguided, and this has been quite the journey for my husband as well who has been hoping that I am not crazy when my answers to his questions about my business plan entail referring to following my internal guidance and a call I feel- which are impressions I alone am receiving.
Creating from inspiration I believe is the biggest challenge, and I look forward to being in a community with those who are also on this journey.
Do you have a book/podcast/talk that’s had a deep impact on your thinking? Can you share a story with us?
It took me over 6 months to determine how I wanted to describe who I am and what I do on my website. I finally finished the content and my graphic designer had built the website for me to review at the same time my friend introduced me to Richard Rudd’s work on the Gene Keys. As I studied his work, I felt like he so eloquently put words to all the impressions I had about who I am and what my role is over a period of several years.
I paused the work on my website to study more deeply Richard’s work, and ended up re-writing the entire material because after exploring his work, it deepened my understanding in such a beautiful way that allowed me to more fully own what I am here to accomplish.
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 absolutely desire to inspire a movement that would bring about the most amount of good to as many people as possible. I am here to cause a collective remembering of who we truly are- healing disconnection from our True Selves to fundamentally shift how we show up in our relationships with others so we can become powerfully present to one another and unify our world.
To repair this world, we must start within ourselves by harmonizing the polarities within us and in our intimate relationships so we can become the flames that will ignite the light within others throughout the world.
When we do this, we will create deep internal peace and shift from being wounded in relationships to having the power to love resiliently.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
“We will experience deep internal peace and the power to love resiliently not from trying to heal our human hearts, rather in surrendering to allow the human heart to completely break, to shatter, to melt away through the refiner’s fire for our higher nature to emerge.”
I can remember when I felt my heart break for the first time, and also when I felt it shatter into a million pieces. It felt like those pieces were pulverized and would never be able to be put back together again. I didn’t feel like I even knew what love was, or had the capacity to feel it.
When I stopped trying to heal my heart, and instead allowed myself to surrender and feel the pain, the human heart was able to shed, and I discovered the part within me that is unbreakable- my True Self. Through tuning into and seeking to me led by this higher/Divine nature, I was able to connect to my own unbreakable superabundant heart.
How can our readers follow you online?
I have not yet fully embraced social media, but I do have a podcast and an app that will be coming out soon. For updates on this, or to connect with me, the best place is on my website: CarieBailey.com. I look forward to connecting with you.
Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this.
Female Disruptors: Dr. Amy Brand of The MIT Press On The Three Things You Need To Shake Up Your Industry
An Interview With Candice Georgiadis
…it’s a longer road for most women disruptors to find their own authentic voice and sense of power. My deepest hope for my daughters is that they will waste a lot less precious time than my generation did worrying about how they are perceived by others. My parallel hope for my son is that he’ll do his part as a white male to anti-patriarchal by supporting women and otherwise marginalized voices.
As a part of our series about women who are shaking things up in their industry, I had the pleasure of interviewing Amy Brand.
Dr. Amy Brand is a publisher, entrepreneur and executive widely recognized for expanding access to knowledge and promoting equity in science. As Director and Publisher of the MIT Press, she takes risks and leads change as she oversees the publication of groundbreaking, meticulously designed books and journals in science, technology, art, and design. Under Dr. Brand’s leadership, the Press has upended traditional business models in publishing and issued numerous works by and about women and people of color in STEAM fields.
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?
I’m someone whose entire intellectual and leadership adventure has centered on language, knowledge, and cultural institutions of one form or another. There are definite childhood roots to that fascination. I grew up on the upper west side of Manhattan in the 1960s and 70s, a second generation born-American.
My brother and I attended an open classroom lab school called Bank Street, whose original name was, believe it or not, the Bureau of Educational Experiments. It was a magical place where teachers supported individualized learning plans for each kid, with a focus on critical thinking, creative problem solving, and instilling lifelong curiosity.
One day in the 6th grade or thereabouts, when my passion was reading and writing poetry, Frances Stellof, the owner of the famous midtown bookstore Gotham Book Mart, came to speak to our class about the joys of running a bookstore.
I recall sitting on the carpeted floor of the school library, spellbound. I can distinctly hear Stellof saying, “remember, children, books are your unconditional friends”. That was a lightbulb moment, incredibly affirming for the shy young kids that I was, because I knew then I would find my tribe working in a world of words and books.
About a year later, it was the grammar diagramming exercises that a new English teacher added to the 7th grade lesson plan. Now, the sentences I loved writing had their underlying logic revealed, and my nerdy interior world grew by many dimensions.
Fast forward, you can imagine how I ended up reading Wittgenstein and Chomsky at Barnard, then at MIT researching how children’s brains master syntactic structure, and later, working on standards and systems for communicating knowledge.
Can you tell our readers what it is about the work you’re doing that’s disruptive?
My fascination with how information is structured and understood feels like it is in my DNA, and my professional path has embraced lots of risk-taking and unknowns along the way.
Basically, I am working to disrupt how we communicate science so it can have the most beneficial impact on society. This includes new business models, new technical standards, and new publishing technologies. We prototype these new models for communicating science and scholarship because traditional models are holding back progress.
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?
Fairly early on in my career, I was asked by my boss to propose a solution to a gnarly problem to the board of directors. I love puzzling out complex issues, so I came to the board meeting after days of work on the problem with what I considered to be a brilliant solution.
However, because I was new to working with boards, I stood up and presented my solution as a fait accompli, expecting a round of applause. Instead, I was met with cold, hard stares, and my proposal was voted down. It had nothing to do with the solution — which was solid and eventually implemented. Rather, it had to do with the fact that I had not given the board members the opportunity to weigh in and discuss, and maybe even feel like they had help co-develop the solution.
That was a tremendous lesson in the art of consensus building and listening. When you’re working with a group of people, whether they report to you or you report to them, always give them every opportunity to provide their perspectives and world-view and to co-develop solutions, even if you think you already have the winning solution in your back pocket. You may learn something new and change your mind. Or, if your plan was right all along, you’ll have the consensus you need to move forward.
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?
Mentorship is so important, and people who ask for it have more of it in their professional lives. One mentor who had a big impact on my career was Frank Urbanowski, who was director of the MIT Press when I first worked there as an editor in the 1990s.
Frank was a real pioneer in our world of university press publishing, and set the stage for a culture of ongoing experimentation and innovation at the Press. What struck me most was that he really enjoyed his work. He laughed a lot. He was always approachable and generous with his time and guidance, and helped me see this profession as both highly impactful and lots of fun. So, when the opportunity arose to return to the MIT Press as a director many years later, I felt called to the role in large part because of Frank’s legacy.
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’? Can you share some examples of what you mean?
Even though everyone I work with in the broader world of academic publishing recognizes that it is ripe for disruption, different people have widely differing views about the change that’s needed. For some researchers and academics, they are so fed up with prevailing systems that they advocate for tearing the whole thing down and starting over grassroots, without the involvement of any publishers.
But not all publishing models or publishers are the problem. If you sweat the details and see the totality of the structural change at hand, you’ll recognize that that kind of wholesale disruption is not only unrealistic but also destined to re-create — at great expense — some of the same systems and entities and, yes, problems.
The point being, an effective disruption strategy builds alternatives that people and markets can move to before you tear down existing edifices. If you’re successful, they’ll crumble on their own over time, and be replaced with more effective structures — whether the goal is equity, efficiency, sustainability, or all of the above.
Can you share 3 of the best words of advice you’ve gotten along your journey? Please give a story or example for each.
There’s a book by Jon Kabat-Zinn called Wherever You Go, There You Are, and I think about the phrase often. It reminds us that we create our own experience, including our thoughts and perceptions. I’m trained as a yoga teacher and have a regular meditation practice, and it still takes work every day to get out of my own head as much as possible, to be present with other people and open to absorbing what’s happening around me.
Then there’s that Rolling Stones song with the lyrics “You can’t always get what you want. But if you try sometimes, well, you might find, you get what you need.” We all need to leave space for the unexpected in our lives, and we all need to work with what we ultimately get in order to have any chance at happiness. Both my first and third children came from unplanned — but not unwanted! — pregnancies, and embracing those life-changing opportunities when that happened shaped my life in the most wonderful ways.
I have enjoyed the occasional Stephen King novel and especially his wisdom in writing about writing and saying “What separates the talented individual from the successful one is a lot of hard work.” Both of my parents were workaholics because they had to be, and their parents were as well — the immigrant story. So, I’ve never been very good at work-life balance, and I’m working on that. But when you’re working hard on something that has real meaning to you, it is a very joyful, hedonic thing in and of itself.
We are sure you aren’t done. How are you going to shake things up next?
Great question, and I love not knowing the answer in advance. In addition to my day job running the MIT Press and disrupting research publishing, I’m serving on the boards of several organizations in the information activism space, doing more of my own writing, and also learning about documentary film by supporting young film-makers. As I’ve always done, I’ll follow my nose in the future towards what’s most compelling and where I feel I can do the most good in the world.
In your opinion, what are the biggest challenges faced by ‘women disruptors’ that aren’t typically faced by their male counterparts? Inspiring confidence
We still live in a sexist, patriarchal culture, although it’s clearly getting better thanks to the consciousness raising efforts of so many, both older and younger generations of women and activists.
When you’re trying to lead change, you need to be able to inspire confidence and bring others along. Unfortunately, women still have to work harder to earn that confidence. As a woman, when others are listening to you or looking at you, whatever their gender, they are still less likely to see the automatic archetype of leader in you as they would see in a man standing in your shoes, especially a tall white man, sorry to say. Your choice of words as a woman leader, not to mention your tone of voice and choice of clothes, all matter.
In the documentary Picture a Scientist, on which I was executive producer, one of the women scientists we profiled, Raychelle Burks, who is an Associate Professor of analytical chemistry at American University, talks at one point in the film about the added struggle in her academic career of being both non-white and female. She describes always having to think ahead to how her words will be received, devoting loads of time and precious brain-cycles to her emails to colleagues, time that she would much rather be spending on her science.
In short, it’s a longer road for most women disruptors to find their own authentic voice and sense of power. My deepest hope for my daughters is that they will waste a lot less precious time than my generation did worrying about how they are perceived by others. My parallel hope for my son is that he’ll do his part as a white male to anti-patriarchal by supporting women and otherwise marginalized voices.
Do you have a book/podcast/talk that’s had a deep impact on your thinking? Can you share a story with us?
I love audiobooks and I’m reading or listening to books all the time, often several at once. They all impact me in different ways, and there’s no way I can choose a favorite. But I just finished listening to Patti Smith read her own book Just Kids and was incredibly inspired by both the beauty of her writing and her journey to becoming a successful and very disruptive artist. It’s a story of deep friendship, listening to your inner voice, staying true to what matters.
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. 🙂
Some well-established movements are still the most needed. I worked at Planned Parenthood as a lobbyist several years ago. And I feel even more so now that, for the greatest good to the most people, we should all be rallying to keep abortion legal and accessible in the U.S.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
The meditator in me loves this quote from Austrian thinking Viktor Frankl: “Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.” But I’m doing as much hiking as I can these days and recently saw a t-shirt printed with the words “hike more, worry less.” Being out in nature, staying active, being in the moment — that’s a big part of enjoying life these pandemic days. When I’m out walking or hiking, my thoughts have time to marinate and space to evolve, sometimes becoming my most creative and disruptive ideas. But there’s also a deeper life lesson in this attitude, about embracing uncertainty. Because sometimes you get lost, and you never really know what you might encounter around the bend. Stay open to all of it.
Modern Fashion: Ashley McPherson of Macoma Boutique On The 5 Things You Need To Lead a Successful Fashion Brand Today
An Interview With Candice Georgiadis
Good Products: When it comes to the product itself you need to make sure you are producing and distributing good quality products. My team and I travel once a month to shows to source out our clothing. Over the last few years, we have uncovered that it’s important to source our products for our customers in person as we’ve seen some orders online that don’t meet the quality standards of our business. We are truly dedicated to visiting key markets, like Los Angeles, to bring in the best designs for our customers.
Many in the fashion industry have been making huge pivots in their business models. Many have turned away from the fast fashion trend. Many have been focusing on fashion that also makes a social impact. Many have turned to sustainable and ethical sourcing. Many have turned to hi tech manufacturing. Many have turned to subscription models. What are the other trends that we will see in the fashion industry? What does it take to lead a successful fashion brand today?
In our series called, “5 Things You Need To Lead a Successful Fashion Brand Today” we are talking to successful leaders of fashion brands who can talk about the Future of Fashion and the 5 things it takes to lead a successful fashion brand in our “new normal.”
As a part of this series I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Ashley McPherson.
As a stay-at-home mom, Tampa, Florida-based entrepreneur Ashley McPherson was in search of an inspirational opportunity that would support her family, which also focused on her passion for fashion. After spending 2 ½ years with her friend selling the popular online brand, LuLaRoe, Ashley decided it was time to launch her own online retail sales brand, and in 2018 Macoma Boutique opened its doors. Macoma Boutique based in Tarpon Springs, Florida is a woman-owned and operated online store offering more than 50 brands of fashionable and reasonably priced clothing for everyday women of all sizes. When the online retail brand first opened it was solely operated by Ashley and over the last 3 years she has grown her team to 12 people.
Since opening her virtual doors, McPherson has also created her own fashion line, Phierce Fashions, featuring 15 clothing styles ranging from t-shirts, bottoms, to dresses, jumpsuits, and more. In October 2021, Phierce Fashions debuted their newest product, Brami, a shirt complete with bra support designed to help women break up with their bra in ribbed and cami styles with four different colors ranging from sizes XS to 3X.
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 childhood “backstory”?
As a child, I grew up watching my dad serve as an entrepreneur when he turned his love for cars into a successful business. He used to tell me that if you do what you love then you’ll never work a day in your life. I think watching him always work so hard, but continue to be a great father putting his family first — always stuck with me. I always loved going to work — even as a teenager — and even daydreamed about one day having a business doing something I really loved having a strong set of employees.
Can you tell us the story about what led you to this particular career path?
At 27 years old, I found myself as a stay-at-home mom. My husband had just gotten out of the military and we had two young children. While I loved being a mom, I always had the drive to do more to help my family. Due to daycare costs being so high, I needed to find something that I could make work during the time while I was at home with my kids. I was inspired to start selling clothing online after seeing other women become successful paired with my constant love for clothing.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?
When I first started my boutique, I had ordered from a smaller brand online and had a small mistake on my order. I reached out to the company (not something I typically did) and was happy to reach the owner. During our call, she had shared she had let go of her assistant who typically took the company calls — we chatted for a bit and instantly hit it off. During our conversation, she shared how she had recently left working for other companies; and was starting her own line. I had been praying to find someone to be able to make my own pieces and it turned out that she had been praying to find a customer to collaborate with. What first began as a collaboration has now transformed into supporting the manufacturing process for our brand. To top it off, we have become amazing friends, I travel frequently to work with her on projects every couple of mothers, and it’s a fantastic collaboration, where we have mutual respect for each other and want to see each other’s businesses thrive and grow!
You are a successful business leader. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?
Anytime someone asks me about the character traits that were most instrumental in my success — the first thing that comes to mind is purpose. This is because I feel that in order to have a successful business you must first have a purpose. My purpose was to create a way to make money for myself and my family while always keeping in mind the high and lows of our business as we know they will always come.
The next trait to my success is dedication; because you must be dedicated to the purpose. When I first started, I had no employees and handled the entire process from selling to packing and shipping the clothing to my customers. If I wasn’t truly dedicated to my business by getting the items shipped in a timely manner I could’ve potentially lost many customers.
The final trait that’s most important is confidence. When you make your own business, no one tells you what decisions to make and when the right times are to make them. You have to be confident in yourself and know how to make those key decisions. Most importantly, you have to be okay with sometimes making the wrong choice and learning how to grow from them.
What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story?
What truly makes Macoma Boutique stand out from other companies in the community that we have created with our customers. In addition to selling clothes on our website, we also go the extra mile through live selling, which really promotes community within our customer group. We’ve even seen our customers get together from different parts of the country and become friends — it’s pretty incredible to see.
Do you have a favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share a story of how that was relevant to you in your life?
My favorite “Life Lesson Quote” is “There is enough success in this world for anyone that is willing to work for it.” This is a quote I often refer back to in order to remind me to focus on myself and not company my business to others. It’s very easy to wrapped up in someone else being more successful than you are, but if you keep yourself focused on your business you’ll find yourself more successful and happy.
Ok, thank you for that. Let’s now jump to the primary focus of our interview. Do you see any fascinating developments emerging over the next few years in the fashion industry that you are excited about? Can you tell us about that?
One of the most fascinating developments I’m currently seeing and excited about in our industry is the size-inclusive fashion trend. I think we will continue to see more and more of it in the coming years. I think we will also see more brands embracing different size models, and it will become more of the standard to offer items in full-size runs! When I first started in the boutique industry finding items in a full-size range was very difficult, but over the past couple of years, we’ve seen many brands offer size inclusivity!
Can you share how your brand is helping to bring goodness to the world?
For my clothing brand, Phierce Fashions, I originally started creating the built-in bra tops (Brami) stemming from my dislike of regular and strapless bras, but something I didn’t anticipate was the people these products would help. I have a customer that has a specific illness that caused her so much pain that wearing a bra was impossible for her most days. These tops have allowed her to be comfortable, and look like she is wearing a bra. She told me in a message that they have had such a huge impact on her life. It is such a great gift to me to be able to impact someone’s life like that.
Can you share with our readers about the ethical standards you use when you choose where to source materials?
Over the years, we have developed great relationships with our vendors and we have confidence in their standards because we visit a lot of the companies in person. We are also able to see the culture of the companies. As for my clothing line, Phierce Fashions, have confidence that the line is produced ethically; because we produce them here in the USA.
Fast fashion has an advantage, that it is affordable for most people, but it also has the drawback that it does not last very long and is therefore not very sustainable. What are your thoughts about this? How does your company address this question?
I work exceptionally hard to find a happy medium with this that goes back to sourcing products in person. We know that working with brands we know, they will use quality fabrics and create pieces that will last, but not break the bank — that is truly what we look for!
Thank you for all that. Here is the main question of our interview. What are your “5 Things You Need To Lead a Successful Fashion Brand”. Please share a story or example for each.
I believe the 5 things you need to lead a successful fashion brand are: good products, positive customer service, fast shipping, being able to think outside the box, and most importantly establishing the brand itself.
Good Products: When it comes to the product itself you need to make sure you are producing and distributing good quality products. My team and I travel once a month to shows to source out our clothing. Over the last few years, we have uncovered that it’s important to source our products for our customers in person as we’ve seen some orders online that don’t meet the quality standards of our business. We are truly dedicated to visiting key markets, like Los Angeles, to bring in the best designs for our customers.
Positive Customer Services: It’s not enough just to have and produce quality items, but you must also provide positive customer service to develop a great customer base that will ensure they return to your business to stop.
Fast Shipping: We always put shipping as a top priority and make sure to ship our items within a 24 to 48-hour time period. We’ve discovered that when our customers receive their products quickly it provides a positive experience leading them to want to order again. If we couldn’t keep up with our shipping process, I would quickly identify a slow down in overall sales. I believe that in order to continue our growth we need to take care of our existing customers while also keeping our new ones happy as well!
Be Able to Think Outside the Box: We all have our own “personal” style and sometimes when I’m shopping for clothes it’s hard for me to look outside my look. I tend to always gravitate towards items I love and would wear a lot, but it’s pivotal for me to find other styles that cater to a wide range of current and potential customers. In order to create a diverse look, I make it a priority to take staff members with me to the markets to guarantee a second opinion on items we purchase and make sure it appeals to a wider audience.
Establish a Brand Itself: While we do have our own clothing brand, I’ve also created a brand within Macoma Boutique as well. It’s really important to me that our customers see our brand as personal shopping with their best friend experience and not just some stock photo posted on our website. We personally take all of our photos and participate in several live sessions on social media throughout the week. We’ve identified that by following this dedication to our brand that our customers have become more loyal.
Every industry constantly evolves and seeks improvement. How do you think the fashion industry can improve itself? Can you give an example?
Over the next couple of years, I would love to see more “Made in the USA” brands in the fashion industry. When I started my own fashion line it was extremely important for me to be able to produce it in the USA. This also helps create more jobs here in the United States and abides by a strong set of ethical production standards.
You are a person of great influence. If you could start 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 start any movement it would be to spread body positivity to women across the world. By creating a fashion line that includes size inclusivity we are enabling all women to enjoy wearing clothes they want to wear. My mission in life is to make women feel good and enable them to compliment each other — if I could only do this then I’d truly feel grateful about my journey.
How can our readers further follow your work online?
Nobody is perfect at their craft and this is why I’m always willing to take advice from others. When I began tattooing I knew nothing about the industry, so I would talk to many different artists, ask lots of questions, take feedback and use it to improve.
As a part of our series about women who are shaking things up in their industry, I had the pleasure of interviewing Sydney Smith.
Sydney Smith is a tattoo artist from New Jersey that loves to travel around the United States, guest spotting at various tattoo studios. She specializes in micro tattoos in black & gray only. Her work is displayed on her Instagram and TikTok.
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?
I was in high school when I began my tattoo career. At 17, I was in Cosmetology school and I realized then that it was not something I wanted to do. Halfway through the school year I began working at a tattoo shop as an apprentice. For almost two years I worked under an artist and learned the basics of tattooing, practicing everyday until I was comfortable enough to do my very first tattoo! Once I did my first piece, I immediately realized what specific styles of tattoos I wanted to do: simple linework.
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?
It’s not technically a mistake, but there are lots of things I wish I knew sooner about tattooing!
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?
I wouldn’t say I necessarily have/had a mentor. I worked as an apprentice under an artist. I was young and didn’t know much about the industry, so I wouldn’t say that my mentor’s “style” was what I was looking to do. Although, I did learn to eventually find my style and what I love to do which is fineline work.
Some artists that I look up to are Tritoan Ly, Aston Reynolds, and Sasha Masiuk. All of their styles are so different but the consistent linework from each artist is what inspired me. I’ve looked up to each of these artists practically since I’ve started tattooing!
Can you share 3 of the best words of advice you’ve gotten along your journey? Please give a story or example for each.
The 3 best pieces of advice that I’ve gotten throughout my journey as a tattoo artist are staying persistent with my work, remaining consistent with posting content, and always be willing to take advice from others.
I started tattooing because of my family and they always told me to stay persistent if I wanted to reach a goal. Because of them pushing me and reminding me of that, I was able to build my name up as a tattoo artist and turn my career into what it is now.
Although this isn’t the most “typical” answer, consistently posting content on social media has really launched my career in a way that I never thought could be possible. Taking photos/videos and posting them has gotten me so much recognition on Instagram and TikTok and has immensely expanded my clientele.
Nobody is perfect at their craft and this is why I’m always willing to take advice from others. When I began tattooing I knew nothing about the industry, so I would talk to many different artists, ask lots of questions, take feedback and use it to improve.
How are you going to shake things up next?
I have some plans to travel around the US (possibly internationally as well) to tattoo and meet some new clientele. This is definitely a big change from what I normally do and I’m excited to try something different!
In your opinion, what are the biggest challenges faced by ‘women disruptors’ that aren’t typically faced by their male counterparts?
I would say the biggest challenges are being taken seriously. It’s very hard to feel superior in a male dominated industry.
If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be?
I would want, and hope, to inspire more women to find themselves through their art. I want to show these women that anything is possible once you put your mind to it. It took me six years to build my brand and a name for myself.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
“In order for good things to come your way, you must believe you deserve them.” When I was younger I used to see this quote often and I actually ended up getting it tattooed on my arm. I constantly strive to better myself and since I first found my love for tattooing I would remind myself to believe in the process and the outcome will be better one day.
How can our readers follow you online?
TikTok: @sydsmithhhtattoo
Instagram: @sydsmithhh
This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for joining us!
Female Founders: Rania Nasis of Super Awesome Care On The Five Things You Need To Thrive and Succeed as a Woman Founder
An Interview With Candice Georgiadis
Failure is part of the journey to success. Entrepreneurs tend to be high performers in school or other aspects of life, so failure for them can be quite a blow. And failure can happen for all sorts of reasons, some of which you can control (operations, finding product-market fit, sales, marketing) and others you can’t (regulatory challenges, financial market fluctuations, timing). The important thing is to be constantly learning along the way.
As a part of our series about “Why We Need More Women Founders”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Rania Nasis.
Rania Nasis, MD, MBA is the founder & CEO of Super Awesome Care, a tech-enabled healthcare platform for kids with food allergies and their families. A physician entrepreneur and digital health expert, her mission is to bring the best food allergy care to all families, when and where they need it.
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?
Entrepreneurship is not a typical path for a physician. But I found myself frustrated in medical school about the state of clinical practice. I could foresee the changes that were coming: physicians losing autonomy and essentially becoming the highest paid clerks in the building. Rather than empowering physicians, technology was being used to handcuff them.
I always had a love of business — both my parents were entrepreneurs — and decided I wanted to explore other ways I could use my medical degree to improve healthcare. So, I went to business school immediately upon graduating medical school, and, during my first year, I had the opportunity to take part in UC Irvine’s annual business plan competition. Our startup idea was to target childhood obesity with a wearable that was connected to a social network — though we were way too early. A wearables startup before wearables were even a category! But I was hooked — the notion of starting something from zero to build a solution to a healthcare problem was captivating. I got bit by the startup bug and focused the rest of my career on early-stage healthcare companies.
For my current startup, I was digging into various food reactions that I was experiencing and was appalled by the amount of misinformation out there. As I dug in more, I realized how difficult it was for families trying to navigate their children’s food allergies.
There is a lot of misinformation, misdiagnoses or delayed diagnoses. And after diagnosis, families are often left on their own, beyond maybe a generic pamphlet on how to spot and treat a reaction. It is often up to them to navigate how to go about feeding their child at the next meal and every meal after that. A food allergy diagnosis impacts so many aspects of a family’s life — every meal, birthday party, school event, restaurant outing, travel, camp, sports, etc. Also, a large percentage of kids with food allergies are bullied. There is little support for families. I believe there is a better way through digitally-enabled, family-centric collaborative care that provides — Super Awesome Care — when and where parents need it the most.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began leading your company?
Since starting Super Awesome Care, I have been blown away by how many people have “come out” as having food allergies. People I’ve shared many meals with had never before mentioned that they contend with a significant allergy. It really highlighted the stigma that is associated with food allergies — many food allergy sufferers are too embarrassed to mention it in public for fear of ridicule or being a burden. Instead they take the burden entirely on themselves. It reinforces the importance of Super Awesome Care to de-stigmatize food allergies, give families the tools to advocate for their kids — and the education to empower kids to advocate for themselves.
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 interviewing a consultant for a role once, and he kept mentioning what I heard as his “psychic.” That she was great and we should bring her onto the project. For a science-based organization, this would be a red flag, but my colleagues, who were interviewing with me, were unflinching every time the word was mentioned. As the consultant repeated the word for about the fifth time, I had to jump in and ask him to clarify. It turns out he was saying “sidekick.” He had a thick Scottish accent and I was hearing an entirely different word!
The takeaways from that experience were that, one, I clearly need to spend some time in Scotland, and, two, that being a clear communicator means more than articulating thoughts concisely. It is also vital that we listen deeply. Had my colleagues not been in the room with me, or had I not asked him to clarify what he meant, I might have dismissed a viable candidate out of hand.
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?
I’ve had so much help and encouragement along the way, and it’s really made a difference.
As I mentioned, entrepreneurship was not really on my radar when looking at career choices. Early on, there were two people who were instrumental in giving me the confidence to go into the startup world, Goran Matijasevic and Luis Vasquez. Goran taught entrepreneurship within the engineering school at UC Irvine, and I was lucky enough to have him as a coach for my first startup in UC Irvine’s annual business plan competition. He helped give me the confidence to pitch our idea and we ended up coming in second place. Luis ran the LaunchPad accelerator at OCTANe, a convening organization for technology and medical technology businesses in Southern California, and believed in me early on. He helped us refine our pitch in preparation for investor meetings. Goran and Luis were incredibly generous with their time and provided so much helpful advice. And they have been in my corner ever since. I don’t think I would have latched onto startups as strongly as I did were it not for their encouragement early on.
Another person that has been a tremendous mentor to me is Jeffrey Hausfeld, MD, MBA, the founder and Chairman of the Board of the Society of Physicians Entrepreneurs and a serial entrepreneur himself. Jeff is an exemplar of how to combine medical expertise with business savvy and entrepreneurial spirit. He’s been an inspiration throughout my career.
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?
It’s both a systems problem and a supply problem. Thankfully, I see both improving rapidly.
On the system side, venture capital has historically been dominated by white males from Ivy League schools. Just as many employees of successful startups went on to found startups of their own, so too, were VCs generated from the same small group of people. You hire who you know, so the pool of candidates was pretty homogeneous. One major downside of that is that a large part of VC investing is emotional — they are picking companies based on a belief that it could, five to seven years down the line, become something big. One tends to invest in things they can understand or can relate to.
That of course means the most likely companies funded were often addressing problems white guys from Stanford and Harvard could understand. That’s why for the longest time women’s health was considered a “niche” industry. Women are half of the population, have more healthcare needs and make the majority of healthcare decisions in American households, including pediatric care, care of our spouses and elderly parents’ care. But companies addressing our issues were not being funded. It can be discouraging to start a company if you think your chances of being funded are slim to none.
Luckily the landscape is changing, in part because more successful entrepreneurs have moved into venture capital and brought more diverse teams with them. As more companies received funding, there were more successful exits with females in founding or senior roles, further validating additional investment in women-led companies. Now, there are several self-made women billionaires, and VC firms are starting to pay more attention to the value diverse teams bring. In the last few years, there has been a tremendous increase in the number of emerging VC managers who are female, thanks in some part to programs like the Kaufmann Fellows.
Next, there was always a supply problem. The 20% number doesn’t tell the whole story. There are far fewer women entrepreneurs seeking funding than men. One of the things I often notice is that women are risk averse, or perceive startups to be riskier than they actually are to one’s career. Men figured out that startup failure was progress long ago, with many of today’s successful entrepreneurs having multiple failed startups in their past — and in a counterintuitive turn, their investors continued to fund their subsequent companies even after they lost money in those earlier startups. So even if it doesn’t work out (which it doesn’t 95% of the time), if you give it your all, you’ll still come out ahead. There is a tendency for women to think failure is the end, when it is often just a stop along the way to success. The fear of failure often holds many women back.
While there are now plenty of cheerleaders for women entrepreneurs, what we need are more coaches. Women need other leaders (men and women) to give honest critical feedback and guide women on the path to entrepreneurial success.
Women may have started from behind, but I’m optimistic that we’re going to catch up faster than expected. Just in the course of my career in the startup world, we’ve seen a jump from single-digit funding to 20%, and we’re just getting started. Women already outnumber men in college (60% versus 40%) and just recently it was reported that young women are out-earning men in multiple U.S. cities. I have faith that Gen Z will get us much closer to parity.
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?
I would love to see more exposure to entrepreneurship starting at an earlier age. I read a statistic that 80% of female entrepreneurs were Girl Scouts at some point — I suspect this is because the Girl Scouts exposes young girls to entrepreneurship early and sets them up for success with a great product (who doesn’t love Girl Scout cookies?). Girls and young women could benefit from more exposure like that, perhaps startup fairs or competitions for grade schoolers and high school students. The exercise of coming up with an idea, creating a story or pitch around it and sharing it with others is very impactful. And doing it at a young age in safe environments would ensure positive experiences focused on encouragement (versus some very negative experiences being rejected by VCs). Continuing this in college is key. The more exposure girls and young women have to entrepreneurship, the more achievable it starts to feel.
Also, as a society, let’s cool it with the gleeful, highly publicized takedowns of female entrepreneurs. The media “celebrate” female empowerment but are ruthless and personal when things go wrong. The implication is that any trouble in a female-led startup is 100% her fault. When a guy is at the helm, all sorts of excuses are made, with only part of the blame going to the male lead. Men get coaching to improve and often get many chances, women are shown the door. While women are capable of fraud too, Theranos being a glaring example, in many cases failure at a woman-led company is really a failure of coaching and support during a very stressful journey.
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 need more founders, period. Startups contribute the most needed changes to our world. The more smart people we have starting companies, the better off the whole world would be. Looking at the past two years of the pandemic, most of the tools we used to get by were created by startups — Macbooks, Zoom, meal and grocery delivery, everything from Amazon, and the mRNA vaccines were started by a small number of entrepreneurs. Imagine if we had ten times the number of founders working on the world’s problems!
Because women have a different perspective, different needs and different experiences than men, it is important that we build companies that speak to our considerations. We’re not homogenous, but a lot of companies are started to solve the founder’s problem, and in our case those problems are often shared by millions of others. Especially in industries like healthcare, child care and elder care, we need more women building because we have unique insights and challenges in those areas.
Sara Blakely started Spanx to solve a problem she understood better than any man. Whitney Wolfe Herd, helped make Tinder a success but realized women wanted something different and then built Bumble. Both became self-made billionaires in the process.
On the other hand, there are problems that are not unique to women but women might have a special skill or perspective to solve them. Is there a problem that nags you? Start a company to solve it. Ask yourself, what do you really have to lose?
What are the “myths” that you would like to dispel about being a founder? Can you explain what you mean?
That you have to have it all figured out. You just have to be the type of person who can figure things out. Almost everything is solvable, but you don’t need to have solved everything to start. Not to mention, if you think you have it all figured out on Day One, you will 100% be wrong, because it never goes according to plan. So many companies start off in a completely different direction than where they end up. You just have to keep an open mind, pushing doggedly to find that product-market fit and adapt as needed.
Another myth is that someone has to look like you to be an inspiration or a mentor. The majority of the challenges an entrepreneur will face are consistent across the board, regardless of whether that person is a man or a woman. I mentioned earlier that we have a lot of cheerleaders, but we need more coaches. That means expanding the field and not limiting it to only women coaches and mentors.
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?
I find most successful founders are decisive, resilient and not risk-averse. It’s a journey with many twists and turns, and you have to be able to make quick decisions — and then change them if you’re wrong. Founders also tend to be highly disagreeable in the sense that they will speak up and voice their opinions when they see something wrong. They won’t keep quiet just to keep the peace. They are not afraid of conflict, and they don’t shy from it. And of course, they must be willing to take risks.
If someone is very risk-averse or conflict avoidant, the startup life may be more of a challenge. However, there are no absolute rules in entrepreneurship: one can still be successful even if they have these traits. Finding a strong co-founder who complements your traits can be one path forward.
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.)
Become an expert at prioritizing and delegating. As a founder, everything lands on your desk. It is easy to get bogged down checking off tasks, while getting hardly anything meaningful done. Time is your most limited resource, so constantly ask yourself if you need to be doing the thing you’re working on. Can you delegate it to someone else on your team or hire an executive assistant? Your job is to move the needle on your company’s progress, so view what you’re working on through that lens. In a month from now or a year from now, will this matter? The other advice I would give here is that if something is incredibly mentally draining for you (like writing, organizing receipts, spreadsheets), find someone to outsource it to. Even if the tasks only take a short amount of time, it can feel like it takes a lot longer and drains our energy.
Make time to learn about things unrelated to your startup. Read about what others are doing. It is all too easy to focus on the particular problem you’re solving for, but I find inspiration comes from multiple different sources. There is no shortage of great content: books, podcasts, Substacks, Medium and curated lists. Marginal revolution is one of my favorites — Tyler Cowen and Alex Tabarrok are fantastic at curating interesting topics and provide exposure to a wide array of topics. And Out-of-Pocket is one of my favorite healthcare blogs.
Actively cultivate your network. Entrepreneurship is very much about your network. It is how you find opportunities, co-founders, key hires, mentors, advisors, investors, etc. It takes work to maintain, but it pays off dividends.
Hiring (and firing) is one of your most important tasks. The old adage “hire slowly and fire quickly” constantly proves itself to be true. When you have the right team in place and everything is firing on all cylinders it can be a great feeling. But just one person out of place, and everything can fall apart. You want to hire the best people you can find and you want to make sure you hire amazing people for them to work with. Someone can be incredibly bright and talented and check all the right boxes and still not be suited to your particular startup. It can be time-consuming and tedious, but you are better off holding out for a great candidate versus the OK one who happens to be in front of you. Don’t make great people work with someone who isn’t cutting it — it’s the fastest way to destroy morale and burn your people out. And leverage your network. The best referrals usually come from people you know.
Failure is part of the journey to success. Entrepreneurs tend to be high performers in school or other aspects of life, so failure for them can be quite a blow. And failure can happen for all sorts of reasons, some of which you can control (operations, finding product-market fit, sales, marketing) and others you can’t (regulatory challenges, financial market fluctuations, timing). The important thing is to be constantly learning along the way.
How have you used your success to make the world a better place?
As I mentioned before, we have plenty of cheerleaders, but not enough coaches. I am doing my small part to fix that problem by mentoring aspiring entrepreneurs and by advising founders. The work is personally gratifying, but it is also incredible to watch a person’s journey from, essentially philosopher — someone who has an idea for a solution, to inventor and all the way through to business leader.
I sit on the board of the Society of Physician Entrepreneurs, a non-profit global biomedical and healthcare innovation network, which helps physicians do what I have done. As I said, the more founders we have, the better. I hope that by encouraging others to take the leap and solve the problems that they’re passionate about will lead to real, lasting and meaningful changes.
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 impact of social isolation on people’s health is stunning. Pre-pandemic, and more so during the pandemic, it has become glaringly important that we learn to rebuild community and reprioritize social connections, for happiness and for health. There are startups in this space doing great work in bringing people together, both in person and online, but this is an area deserving of more attention and resources from both a societal and healthcare perspective.
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.
Elon Musk. The strongest evidence that we’re in a simulation is the existence of Elon Musk ;). It’s hard to believe one person can go so deep in so many different industries, and still have time to share silly memes. While there are other serial entrepreneurs, they tend to stick with one industry. He’s disrupted entirely unrelated ones, like finance (PayPal), automotive (Tesla) and space (SpaceX). People say he’s the real life Iron Man, but he makes Iron Man look like a slacker. He’s willing to go to bat for what he believes, and doesn’t blink at taking on daunting challenges. It doesn’t always work out — failure is still progress — but he is relentless and excels at attracting brilliant people to build with him.
Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this
