Month: September 2022

Lessons from a Thriving Power Couple, With Brooke and Dre’as Sanchez of BraveJusticeKidsCo

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

Work Hard, Play Hard — Being husband and wife, parenting and running a business together can all be really stressful. Having a “fun” goal to look forward to helps keep us motivated and on track with what needs to be done. When something big or exciting happens in our business, we always make sure to celebrate those wins — big or small. Whether that’s a date night or traveling somewhere new, we know that when we work hard the benefits are immeasurable.

As a part of our series about lessons from Thriving Power Couples, I had the pleasure of interviewing Dre’as and Brooke Sanchez.

Dre’as and Brooke Sanchez are the the husband-and-wife team and co-founders of BraveJusticeKidsCo., a safe, eco-friendly, and modern children’s products company. The power duo takes great pride in specializing in 100% renewable energy production and innovative technology. They are also setting the standard for transparency and safety in the industry.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Can you tell us a story about what brought you two to your respective career paths ? ?

When we met, my husband was just transitioning out of the military due to service-related injuries and I was a full-time nanny making minimum wage. The transition out of the military was tough for us, especially for my husband because he had felt he lost his sense of purpose. After living paycheck to paycheck, we decided this was not the lifestyle we wanted to raise a family in. So, we knew we had to make some big changes in order to provide the life we wanted for not only ourselves but our kids as well. Since I had always worked in jobs involving kids, it gave me a lot of time to use different types of baby products. I came up with the idea of a mommy and me training spoon; I knew this idea would help little ones learn the function of getting the spoon to their mouth, as well as practice their motor skills, with the help of their parent guiding the spoon. While in the process of getting it patented and produced, we came up with our first product, our silicone collapsible snack cup. This was the beginning of our online business, BraveJusticeKidsCo. Three years later, we have 20+ products as well as multiple patents and have since made the industry safer with our push for transparency of safe manufacturing.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you two got married?

Not one, but two different times we have the opportunity to take our business on Shark Tank but it didn’t quite pan out. The first time, we had to make the tough decision to pull out because our patent paperwork was still pending, and then the second time didn’t work out because the cost of living and the cost of running a business went up so they had to make some cuts; since we were the youngest business to make it on their shortlist, we, unfortunately, got cut. We were so excited about the opportunity both times, especially since we made it so far in the process, but things don’t always work out the way you plan, and that’s okay. Dre’as and I learned so much from the experience and we learned a lot more about our brand, our direction, and each other. Above everything else and despite the outcome, we got to work through it all together and now we look forward to the next because we don’t give up!

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?

Starting a business during the pandemic was a challenge in itself! When we first started, we were still learning the business and how to properly make it function smoothly and on top of that, raising three children! One huge mistake that we made was having all of our product containers being stuck at the port during one of the busiest times of the year. The biggest thing we learned from that was: 1. Make sure we have enough inventory in stock for 3 months at all times, and 2. Make sure we leave space in our timeline for errors.

What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story?

Definitely our attention to detail in regards to safety. We have implemented a beta program with our own products which tracks and verifies the safety data for any given product. We soon will launch this to other companies which will help the consumer feel safer when purchasing products from retailers by seeing that the laboratory results and other relevant information concerning children’s products have been verified by a credible organization. This is our patented software that will help ensure transparency in manufacturing safety practices with our Safely Made™ authentication system.

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

We are always working on new products and designs. This year we really focused a lot on our patented SiliSteel™ line, which started with our SiliSteel™ UnBreakabowl™, and to follow is the SiliSteel™ dinnerware combos and singles. The combo will include the bowl, cup and plate –all with patented technology. Each will also be sold as singles as well. Our SiliSteel™ drinking cup is for stage two, whereas our transitional Teenie Tiny™ cup is for stage one. Our stage two cup will focus more on the older children who are ready to transition to a big kid cup.

The idea behind our SiliSteel™ technology is to make the silicone products more stable. We manufactured a specialized steel ring inside of the silicone product to give it the sturdiness that silicone alone cannot offer. This also makes the product more durable, and increases its quality with Dual Thermal Layer Technology™, which we also invented to help the food retain its heat better when inside our SiliSteel™ products.

What advice would you give to other CEOs or founders to help their employees to thrive?

We believe in publicly recognizing and giving incentives to contractors and employees who work hard.

Most people like to be rewarded for their hard work and people work better in an environment that rewards them for their consistency. We also believe in democracy in the work place. All of the people who are part of the end product have a say in the direction and focus of the business’s daily operation.

How do you define “Leadership”?

Leadership is a measurement of the ability to make people around you better. This ability enables a person to inspire and lead a group of people successfully.

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?

Gratefully, there are tons of people who have helped us from the start and continue to do so along the way. Starting with our family, who have always supported us in our endeavors and who speak positively towards our goals and dreams. We also have a friend who owns Legend and Co. who is a year ahead of us with his business and has been incredibly helpful through our e-commerce journey. When you surround yourself with positive, successful people, positive and successful results become more possible.

How have you used your success to bring goodness to the world?

We definitely would not be where we are at today without our community. In return, we prioritize giving back. We actively participate in community events and have donated supplies, products, and necessities for moms and babies, even baby food, for multiple events. We have also used our success to sponsor our local youth soccer team, as well as donate to organizations like the Olivia Hudson Foundation, who increase awareness of brain cancer in children. Our business as a whole is also setting the standard for eco-friendly production by using 100% renewable energy for production. We are truly 100% eco-friendly from beginning to end.

What are the “5 Things You Need To Thrive As A Couple”? Please share a story or example for each.

Resilience — Never give up on each other no matter how tough a season may be. Fight for what you want and what you believe in, and always remember to support and respect each other’s projects, ideas, or dreams. After all, we are a team and we both just want to achieve the most we can and succeed to the highest level possible to be able to pass it all down to our children one day.
Communication — Always communicate with each other about personal and business needs. Sharing your needs, thoughts and ideas out loud to one another help with not only better more fluid communication but your connection as a couple as well.
A Plan — Having a plan and schedule each day, whether it’s for your business or your personal life, always makes transitions smoother. When everyone is on the same page and can see schedules, deadlines, appointments, etc. written down it leaves less room for error and confusion.
An Open Mind — When you work side by side with your partner you are going to be exposed daily to new things, thoughts and ideas; having an open mind to listen and consider those things can take you to new levels in your business and relationship. Typically, you each have your own ideas, but if you brainstorm together and have an open mind to what each other is saying, the results can be brilliant!
Work Hard, Play Hard — Being husband and wife, parenting and running a business together can all be really stressful. Having a “fun” goal to look forward to helps keep us motivated and on track with what needs to be done. When something big or exciting happens in our business, we always make sure to celebrate those wins — big or small. Whether that’s a date night or traveling somewhere new, we know that when we work hard the benefits are immeasurable.

You are people 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. 🙂

We would inspire a movement of parents to start being more proactive with product safety. So many times, little shops or online businesses are selling items that have never been tested in a laboratory to know exactly what is in the material that our children are using, and many times claim to be “safe”. We advise parents to not just simply trust a brand based off claims of being “safe”, but to challenge brands to provide their product testing information publicly, for everyone to see the proof that the products are safe. We want to encourage parents to carefully inspect anything that could affect the safety of their children and to never be afraid to ask more questions.

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

“You can grow ideas, in the garden of your mind” — We absolutely love this quote from Mr. Rodgers, so much so that we actually put it on the bottom of our gardening pots! This quote encapsulates the mindset of our business and in the way we raise our children. We always encourage thinking of new ideas and innovating the way in which humans do everyday tasks; big and small, there is always something to make better-and it all starts with an idea.

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

We have been on Mark Cuban’s radar, so if we could have a meeting with anyone it would be him. He is an innovator so we know he would respect our grind and eagerness to succeed. Most importantly, he has the contacts and experience to help take our business to the next level.

How can our readers follow your work online?

Follow all of our social media platforms, @BraveJusticeKidsCo! We welcome all comments and feedback, and encourage you to like our posts, and most importantly, share with friends and family!

Thank you so much for joining us. This was very inspirational.

Lessons from a Thriving Power Couple, With Brooke and Dre’as Sanchez of BraveJusticeKidsCo was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Female Founders: Tanna Larson of The Green Forest Lady On The Five Things You Need To Thrive and…

Female Founders: Tanna Larson of The Green Forest Lady On The Five Things You Need To Thrive and Succeed as a Woman Founder

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

Never stop learning or pursuing knowledge in your field. I love to continually build my brain library on herbs, medicinal uses, regenerative and forest farming/gardening, and responsibly foraging.

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

The visionary, mastermind, and creator of The Green Forest Lady, Tanna Larson, is every bit the embodiment of what the company stands for: pure, clean, always organic products that promote a healthy state of being. She has spent years studying, reading, and furthering her knowledge around herbs and plant medicine, a subject she is deeply passionate about. Her goal is to continuously grow and expand her awareness of plants and their medicine, while also providing functional herbal care products in a sustainable way.

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 have always had a deep love for nature and plants! From the time I was very young, there was an innate part of me that naturally knew how to seek out things like wild onions. That love grew and matured, and in my 20s, began to experiment with creating everyday herbal products like shampoo, laundry detergent, and deodorant. When I was pregnant with my first child, my creations expanded to fill the need for clean, organic baby care. Through many years of trial and error, advanced learning, and numerous versions of recipes that have now been perfected, The Green Forest Lady was born.

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

I would love to say I have an amazing story to share here, but there isn’t just one single moment. The most interesting stories, in my mind, all happen when I am out foraging and suddenly come across a particular plant that I have been searching for, or while reading herbal literature, a new connection is made. These are the moments that keep me going with The Green Forest Lady. They breathe new life into me and ignite the passion for what I do.

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?

Soo many mistakes were made in the beginning. One that I think back on and laugh about is a time that I set up a booth at a local expo. I brought furniture in to display my products on. While it did look beautiful, some people completely missed my products and thought I was selling “green” furniture.

Yes! Hands down, my husband has been key in my success. In addition to supporting all of my ideas, even the ones that seemed a little crazy, he also brought his knowledge of what needs to be done on the business side of things and helped with that.

My business was originally Nature’s Touch Baby and Body. Just when I was getting into the swing of things, I became pregnant with our third baby, and already having both a 3 year old and a 9 month old, the pressure of running the business with my growing family was too much. I decided to put the business on hold for a couple of years and then relaunch. My husband really was the driving force and gentle push that I needed to get going again. I distinctly remember one afternoon when he said, “So when do you think you will be ready to restart your business? Your products are too good to not be available for others to have access to. Just let me know, and I will help you get it going.” So, I relaunched and rebranded with a new name that better fit the essence of who I am and how I hope to portray the business.

That support is invaluable. Having one person that always has your back, listens to your ideas at 1am, and patiently helps in any way needed is indeed a blessing.

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?

Women in the work force happened more in recent history. During the big push for women’s rights, it seemed the focus was more on being equal to men when in fact, women are very different and, I believe, have something very different to bring to the table. Some women love climbing the corporate ladder, which is absolutely ok, but others have been kind of stuck in the belief that they must just make ends meet. While most certainly, the demands of modern life are very different than 100+ years ago and the costs associated with startup companies is astronomical, I genuinely believe that reconnecting to our feminine nature, that beautiful, nurturing, creative side will help to open more doors. Women have so much to offer that looks very different from the corporate driven world we have grown up around.

(As a side note, this is in no way trying to downplay the importance of the role the patriarchy holds. I wholeheartedly hold the belief that the strength of men and their place in society as well as the family unit should be honored. However, as women, stepping into our femininity and the power it holds instead of trying to be equal to men has enormous benefits in balancing the scales.)

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?

There used to be this village mentality where there was more of a support system. Families lived closer together and help with children, babies, and familial responsibilities did not just fall on one person. I believe that as a society, reclaiming this village mentality could bring tremendous progress on overcoming many of the obstacles women face. Not just in founding companies, but also in early motherhood, single moms who are juggling jobs with parental responsibilities, and general life. While absolutely the most beautiful gift on earth, motherhood can be very isolating in a modern world. We must work on this on both an individual and societal level. Government should be limited.

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?

As stated before, women have something completely different to bring to the table. Something magical. Women are softer by nature and view the world through a different lens. Life is literally birthed through us so our connection to the flow of life is something special and to be cherished. I do often feel that founding a new business or even each addition added to the business is a bit like the birthing process. How many new innovative, creative, life-changing ideas are out there waiting to be birthed?

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

Hearing or watching a founder of a company speak can often lead one to conclude that the process was easy. What we often see is a professional beauty with a smile that doesn’t show the backstory. The long nights of worrying about how things may be paid for, or if the idea will be a successful one, or the way in which a new business must be babied.

The most rewarding things in life are not really things at all and have been achieved through really hard work.

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?

Not everyone at every point in their life is cut out to be a founder. A successful founder must have clear vision of what he or she wants to create for the world and also must have the drive to get there. There are many ups and downs in the process of having a business. You have to believe in yourself and what you have created enough to push through the hard times in order to succeed.

It isn’t a bad or negative trait for someone to seek a “regular job” as an employee. Employees are an integral part of any business. The person who seeks employment at a “regular job” most likely has many lessons waiting to be learned to build the character necessary for perhaps later starting a business.

Let me give you an example.. When I was 17 and in high school, I worked for my parents’ business where my mom taught me data inputting.. A few years later, I was hired at a prestigious Women’s Club for those particular skills. My skills there were greatly expanded into management, graphic design, accounting, people skills, event planning, and more. That job, though soul-tiringly hard, taught me so many invaluable lessons that have been used in the years since. That job held many of the building blocks I needed to get to where I am now.

Each of us are in different stages of life. One stage may require a “regular job” in order to build the character, work ethic, knowledge, wisdom, experience needed to later start a new company.

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.)

Just go for it!! Have confidence in yourself. Failure isn’t really failure unless you never try. You never know the impact what you bring into being can have on someone’s life. I very much live in my own head and have ideas/products that I held back on sharing with the world because I was somehow worried or afraid of the feedback. It took a while for me to work through the fact that I don’t have to please everyone, and not every single person would have the same personal experience with my products and therefore have differing opinions. None of them are “bad.”
Not every day will always be a joyride. Difficulties are the “uphill climb” needed to get to the top of the mountain so you can see the beautiful view.
Pace yourself. Time is a funny thing. It goes by so quickly, yet it shouldn’t be rushed. Time can fine tune the roughest of ideas, and help things fall into place when it is right. It isn’t a race. 😊
Write everything down — make lists. I tend to think very quickly and ideas sometimes pop in my head that are also forgotten just as quickly. Writing everything down just helps to recall those tiny budding ideas that may bloom into something so beautiful it has to be shared with the world.
Never stop learning or pursuing knowledge in your field. I love to continually build my brain library on herbs, medicinal uses, regenerative and forest farming/gardening, and responsibly foraging.

One thing that I have carried with me from the beginning was the belief that we, as women, do not need to be in competition with one another. We may have similar, or completely polarized gifts to offer the world. The goal is to support one another and continually build one other up. There is room for each of us to be successful and thrive.

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

Creating from the intention of and with a connection to nature to bring healing products to the world is incredibly important to me. Showcasing just how abundant the earth is in natural, organic, healing resources to dettract people from the huge disconnect we see with synthetic lab/factory created goods is a giant step in meaningful progress.

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.

A better connection to the natural world. Realizing that we are not separate from nature, we are nature. I believe that if this truth was realized on a mass scale, we would see an enormous positive change for both humanity and the earth.

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.

Perhaps both John Slattery and Rosemary Gladstar. Their sheer knowledge, wisdom, experience, and connection to plants is something I strive for. It would be an honor to be able to spend a few moments with either of them.

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

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

Female Founders: Catherine McKenzie of Min & Mon On The Five Things You Need To Thrive and Succeed…

Female Founders: Catherine McKenzie of Min & Mon On The Five Things You Need To Thrive and Succeed as a Woman Founder

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

I think that education from elementary school should start exposing children to opportunities that aren’t just traditional career paths — to help shape the minds for the creatives and entrepreneurs of the future. Better access to child care — more assistance that allows women to be more independent. The pressure to be a good parent is a constant stress.

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

Catherine McKenzie is a co-founder of the New York-based, Colombian-made accessories brand, Min and Min. She is a trained flautist and educator, and her absolute favorite part of the business process involves encouraging narrative around individual products and capsules. For Catherine, no work day is complete without enjoying an unconventional pairing of coffee and bone broth, punctuated by frequent visits from her cockapoo, resident Min & Mon model Milo. In her down time, Catherine can be seen on the streets of NYC with her children, husband and Min & Mon fanny pack.

It was rather serendipitous. After all, I have a degree in music and education and was a stay-at-home mom with no real plans to work full time. One of my best friends asked me to join vision to create an accessories brand that would later become Min & Mon — I believed in it so much that I couldn’t say no. I believed in her and she knew I had something to offer, even though I could not see it at the time. I never imagined it would be the brand it has become today.

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

How much I have grown in the midst of so much uncertainty. Not knowing what was coming next, but finding confidence in the growing process has been comforting. The life experience of being a female entrepreneur, mom, and wife have been an educational journey that I never expected to be fulfilled by.

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 would say realizing there is purpose in making mistakes — and understanding that they (mistakes) leave me better off than I was. That’s really funny to me now looking back. Most of my mistakes have turned into great opportunities. Some of our design mistakes at Min & Mon have turned into best sellers as well.

My partner Carolina thrives for excellence in everything she does but is never dismissive in her approach. She is so supportive and always saw more in me than I saw in myself and that I had more to give and believed in me.

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

I think gender roles — we still live in a society where caretaking primarily falls on women. The idea that you can have it all and still be a great mother is false. You can only do what the support system you have around you allows. Also equal pay, and normally who stays home who makes less money which is normally the women. And by caretaking I also mean taking care of aging parents, not only kids. I would also say education — men are expected to take risks which are encouraged from birth to do so. Women take smarter risks which can sometimes be a hindrance or anchor to entrepreneurship.

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 think that education from elementary school should start exposing children to opportunities that aren’t just traditional career paths — to help shape the minds for the creatives and entrepreneurs of the future. Better access to child care — more assistance that allows women to be more independent. The pressure to be a good parent is a constant stress.

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

Women are naturally problem solvers and think critically. We tend to involve all of our senses in decision-making, and in that process to build robust eco systems for communities and businesses.

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

That we have all the answers. That our ideas are the best ones. I am only as good as the support system and teams I have around me.

Tenacity and your relationship to risk. It’s not about a certain type of person, it’s about their life story and how they perceive risks and failures. The journey of being a founder does mean you have to fail 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.)

That success and growth are not linear — sometimes it is cyclical
That your value system is something you should always hold on to — it has been most integral to our success.
How you measure success is very personal. Success does not look the same to everyone
Growth comes at a price.
Believe in yourself

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

We have created a community and workforce I hope to empower people by creating an ecosystem that breads more fair wages a — by manufacturing and making our products in Colombia is one of our proudest moments. Focusing less on the margins and profit, we believe in social equality.

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

Social equality — is the DNA of our brand. Consumer responsibility — making things that bring joy and happiness but within –

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

Female Founders: Catherine McKenzie of Min & Mon On The Five Things You Need To Thrive and Succeed… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Female Founders: Renee Ainlay of Renee’s LIVE On The Five Things You Need To Thrive and Succeed as…

Female Founders: Renee Ainlay of Renee’s LIVE On The Five Things You Need To Thrive and Succeed as a Woman Founder

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

Women are strong and insightful. Women have so many amazing functional ideas for products that need to hit the marketplace. The more women that become founders helps all of us to network. It’s also always a good example to mentor other women and to help with their dreams.

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

Renee is a 62-year-old wife, mother, and grandmother. Renee is also a survivor of significant chronic illnesses, kidney disease and the costly fragmented US healthcare system. She is an advocate for herself and others, a teacher, a friend, a health enthusiast, an entrepreneur and owner, creator, and chef of Renee’s LIVE, https://www.reneeslive.com, the dairy-free, cultured crème frozen desserts.

After fourteen years of illness, including over 1500 days in bed, and well over a million dollars in medical expenses, I found my path back to health through a combination of superfoods being introduced into my regular diet after returning from death’s doorstep. Once my health returned, I knew I needed to spread the word about my journey back to health and wellness so that others might find the same relief and benefits. My husband and a few family friends helped me in making Renee’s LIVE a reality to get the same superfoods that helped me to retail stores as an indulgent dessert so they can be easily accessed by everyone they might help.

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

Before our launch in retail, we spent two years in test markets, traveling across fifteen states, from Tennessee to California, traveling between Vegan festivals. We often had more than ninety minute waits for a chance to taste. Once, in Cincinnati, we had a line with over one hundred and fifty people at our concession trailer. We got caught out in strong thunderstorm with torrential rain where the wind picked up and started throwing other vendors’ equipment so we were forced to shut our windows, and after about ten minutes of blowing over canopies and tables, the storm blew past and we opened up again to see that there was still a line of people standing just as long as when we shuttered up, waiting to place an order and try a flavor. It was a sight to see.

We asked them, “Why didn’t you run for cover?” and the response was, “There was no way we were getting out of this line.”

They were all so soaked. Later we found out that the intense storm was a microburst.

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 dear, back in either 2012 or 2013 during a practice run when cupping the ice cream into the new machine. We had an incident occur where someone didn’t properly shut a particular valve that was under pressure on the ice cream machine. Absolutely everyone on the production line was standing there and got covered in ice cream, faces, clothes, all over us. The resulting mess and clean-up was a reminder to always make equipment checks.

I have been very fortunate to have a personal family friend that believed in the same things I did regarding a healthy diet and coconut crème being extremely important in our lives. We met back in 2007.

He played an integral part in my using foods as a medicine but also he was my main benefactor for helping the initial launch of Renee’s LIVE into over a thousand stores.

Also, my husband, so there are two people. I wouldn’t have made it this far without him. It makes me tear up even thinking about how he’s always rooting me on. He’s amazing, even when I was sick, he was there and took care of me, he’s just a genuinely amazing person.

Being taken seriously when trying to get funding for a woman-owned business. Resources are not directed toward women. There is also a lack of role models and mentors for young women out there.

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?

Redirecting resources could help, such as making more grants available for start-ups. Small companies like mine don’t have a chance of scaling up without investors as it can take several million dollars. In 2017, more than 11 million women-owned businesses are still in the minority. At trade shows, we were outnumbered five-to-one, which can feel a little overwhelming. Always staying true to yourself, persevering. Never stop trying to get funding, for me funding has been difficult. Getting funding is difficult as women entrepreneurs are not being given the benefit of the doubt, unless they already have a relationship with investors. It helps to develop a “Never quit” attitude.

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

Women are strong and insightful. Women have so many amazing functional ideas for products that need to hit the marketplace. The more women that become founders helps all of us to network. It’s also always a good example to mentor other women and to help with their dreams.

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

Just because you’re a founder, people think that you’re rich, that you have a lot of money. By the time you get on the grocery store shelves people have no idea what it took to get you there, years of no pay, years of seventy plus hour work weeks. This venture should be your utmost passion because it will take 100% of your time & effort.

I think a trait you should have is to never give up. Constantly move forward. Don’t let the naysayers live rent free in your head.

People that aren’t really cut out to be founders are only willing to work 40-hours a week. People that need a secure paycheck each week. Also, people who really enjoy their own free time because you don’t have a lot of that when you’re starting off.

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.)

Frozen dessert category is the hardest one to get into as there’s a tremendous amount of competition for a very limited space.
Distributors will always find a way to nickel and dime you to financial ruin
Total amount of investment needed to a see a business the first five years
Retail slotting fee costs, as to be in a retail store the store will require slotting fees to stock your product
How hard it is to find investors, especially as a woman

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

Since 2007, I’ve shared all the incredible knowledge I’ve learned about food as medicine, so paying it forward.

Stop eating processed foods. Eat whole, fresh, organic, or at least non-GMO foods.

Both Rihanna, who is a Vegan, and Leonardo DiCaprio, who is a Vegetarian, would be excellent lunch companions. Both are extremely active with health foods and are amazing.

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

Female Founders: Renee Ainlay of Renee’s LIVE On The Five Things You Need To Thrive and Succeed as… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Female Founders: Maria Scott of TAINA Technology On The Five Things You Need To Thrive and Succeed…

Female Founders: Maria Scott of TAINA Technology On The Five Things You Need To Thrive and Succeed as a Woman Founder

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

I wish that someone had told me just how much I would have to sacrifice and, what’s even more important, that my loved ones would have to make sacrifices too. I have always been very happy to work hard but I never appreciated just how much impact this role would have on my loved ones and how much they would have to sacrifice — both in their quality of life and the emotional support that they need to give to me.

As a part of our series about “Why We Need More Women Founders”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Maria Scott, CEO & Founder, TAINA Technology.

Maria is an experienced tax lawyer who has worked in the industry for two decades prior to launching TANA. Her personal experience of the burning pain points within regulatory compliance of financial institutions informed her decision of the market need for TAINA.

She launched TAINA to transform the burden of regulatory compliance into a competitive advantage for Financial Institutions by transforming their customers experience, eliminating risks and reducing costs.

Maria is passionate about creating cutting edge products and empowering diverse human potential. She speaks and writes about customer experience in RegTech as well as culture, purpose and resilience.

Maria is a Chicago Booth MBA High Honours’ 2017, a FinTech Power List by Innovate Finance and a mother of 2 girls.

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It is my pleasure — I am happy to be able to support your mission to promote female founders.

I am incredibly boring — the person you don’t want to sit next to at a dinner party!

Before I launched TAINA, I practiced as a tax lawyer for many years, over a decade of which was with a big financial institution.

Whilst there, I was able to see at first hand the pain points that financial institutions experience with regulatory compliance — the complexity and breadth of regulatory obligations, which is increasing across the globe, strong pressure from the regulators and boards to demonstrate robust compliance, ever increasing costs, really poor customer experience — I could go on.

My dream was to wave a magic wand and make it all go away! I started to think seriously and realised that something so difficult and complex could not be solved based on its historical legacy and within the constraints of an institution — I would need to step outside and build a fresh solution that incorporated the collective wisdom of the industry.

As is typical with female founders, I thought that I had to learn a lot more before I could launch a business, so I went to Chicago Booth Business School to learn all the things I had little idea about at the time — how to raise money, how to think about product strategy, how to communicate my vision…. In a nutshell, that’s how TAINA came about.

Can you share the most interesting story that has happened to you since starting your company?

This has been a fascinating journey, so many stories and lessons on resilience…

I think the most helpful one I can share with women who are considering launching their own business is this… You will often hear that what you are trying to achieve is impossible, at every stage. The truth is, with a strong and motivated team, you will absolutely get there.

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 have made so many mistakes and I continue to make them every day, without doubt. Most of them still feel painful to be honest. Perhaps, one day, when I look back, they will seem very funny.

I think the most important one is to do with hiring and my lesson has been — it is much better in the long run to take longer to hire the best person you can for the role than to rush into a quick hire even if I am desperate to fill that vacancy

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

This is so true — I really believe that, if I have achieved any success, all of it is a credit to the many people I have come across on this journey — my amazing, ever-supportive family, our team, investors, clients, mentors.

If I have to highlight one person, it would be Joo Hee Lee. She is an amazing woman, a very sophisticated and experienced professional investor, who believed in me from day one. She was my very first investor, and is incredibly bright and thoughtful. To this day, her support and advice help me through my toughest challenges.

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?

One important aspect of this research is that the figure of 20 percent reflects not the number of women founding companies but the percentage of the venture-funded startups that have been founded by women.

In fact, as the research highlights, the number of women founding startups has increased four times, whereas the percentage of funded startups founded by women has not increased to anywhere near that extent.

What’s even worse is that the percentage of female-founded startups is dropping at the later stages of funding, which would indicate that startups founded by women have a tougher time fundraising the more progress they make! So the real issue here is funding.

I have always been incredibly blessed, probably because the investors we raise funds from tend to be deeply committed to our space and their expertise means that they can focus on the real fundamentals of the business. I can see from this research that not everyone is this lucky — we must do everything we can to address this.

Another aspect here is, of course, that fewer women than men found startups to begin with. This is tragic because women founders bring much-needed diversity of thinking — in terms of strategies and solutions — and are capable of making a huge impact in our world.

I think that the main reason for this challenge is a real lack of role models. Role models are so important; they help us believe that we too can achieve what others have achieved.

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

Bringing female role models into the public eye — which is what you are doing with this series — is hugely impactful.

Individually, as female founders, we need to make more of a conscious effort to tell our stories. This often does not come naturally to us — certainly not to me!

And, as a society, we need to bust some of the myths and stereotypes out there about what makes a successful founder.

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?

For founders, the single most important reason to go for it and establish a company is that it offers the ability to make a real, positive difference in the world and to provide solutions to frustrating pain points.

And it’s incredibly rewarding to hear happy clients talk about their experience and the difference your solution is making to their businesses and teams.

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

The most damaging and innaccurate myth out there is that there is one particular type of successful founder. In reality, successful founders come from all sorts of backgrounds, from all ages and genders — and, most definitely, not all of them are extravert!

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?

At a fundamental human level, we are all capable of being a founder of something meaningful.

Whether or not someone actually becomes a founder depends on several key factors, most important of which is: Do we care about something so deeply that we would be prepared to make sacrifices and face many challenges to make it happen?

We may or may not come across this in our journey and, sometimes, we may just care about other things equally deeply, so we don’t take the plunge.

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.)

Oh my word, there are so many.

I wish that someone had told me just how much I would have to sacrifice and, what’s even more important, that my loved ones would have to make sacrifices too. I have always been very happy to work hard but I never appreciated just how much impact this role would have on my loved ones and how much they would have to sacrifice — both in their quality of life and the emotional support that they need to give to me.
If only someone had told me that I would care about my business, my team and my customers so deeply that it hurts, physically. Even a positive event can create such a strong emotion that, by the end of the day, we are absolutely worn out but still must recover and be strong again by the next morning.
It would have been good if someone had told me that it does not get easier as the business grows; the challenges just keep evolving. At our earliest stages, our challenges may be to do with the product; as the business grows they may be to do with fundraising, geographic expansion, new business extensions — and so it goes on.
I wish someone had told me that what makes a good CEO is very different as the business grows. We must continue to grow as people and learn new skills indefinitely — and we must do it faster than our business grows, otherwise we will no longer be the right CEO.
I wish someone had told me that it’s the loneliest job in the world. We must stay strong and patient for our teams because our job is to give them clarity and stability. Many things we go through cannot and must not be shared with anyone except, perhaps, a therapist (as and when we get time — for most of us, this is in a distant future!).

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

Ultimately, this is what this is all about.

I have not succeeded yet; I have so much more work to do before I can declare it a success. When I do reach this point, my dream is to take on charitable missions and I already know what they will be. Here and now, my focus must be on creating a substantial positive change to our clients’ lives, support our teams’ growth so that each individual feels fulfilled professionally, and encourage more women to be founders of something meaningful.

I believe very strongly that our world could be free of fighting and deadly conflicts.

To create this world, we must have leaders and role models who are truly accepting of diverse points of view, are willing to listen and prioritise the good of the world above their own individual egos and victories.

To get to this point, we need to eliminate the typical stereotypes of good, strong leadership and embrace truly diverse and open role models and approaches.

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.

There are so many amazing people I would love to meet and learn from.

If I was to select one, I really admire Therese Thucker, the founder and CEO of an amazing multi-billion-dollar enterprise software business.

My mission is to get TAINA to this point, so I would love to hear how Theresa did this for her awesome business.

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

Thank you for working on this important mission; it is great to be able to support it in my small way.

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

Female Disruptors: Diana Muturia Of Clyn On The Three Things You Need To Shake Up Your Industry

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

I want to see a difference in how immigrants are treated, especially those of color who are darker skinned. We had an entire crusade about Ukrainian immigrants, but no one talked about the Haitian immigrants who were whipped at the border, pushed back into the water and told to “go back to where you came from.” I’m not saying Ukrainian immigrants don’t deserve to be welcomed with open arms, it’s just that Black immigrants should be treated as well as they were.

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

After dropping out of college, Diana didn’t want to waste her smarts even at her most humble moments. As the sort-of cleaner in her neighborhood, she learned the struggles of trying to create rapport, always asking for referrals and negotiating her prices, etc. She also met other small cleaning providers especially in the Black and Hispanic communities and got to listen to their unique stories. That inspired her to create Clyn, an app that is specifically made for people like them and herself.

Her biggest reason, however, is to change the perception of how home-service providers and janitorial jobs are looked upon. “We often see that cleaner or janitor in the shadows always cleaning up around the house or office spaces, but don’t hear of them,” she says. “Maybe an occasional “Hello” or “Hola”, but we don’t realize how much effort they put to make sure our environment is clean and clear so we can focus on our daily tasks.

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I’m from Kenya and came to the USA when I was 18 years old, to study math and mechanical engineering. During that time studying, buying $200 math textbooks consistently led to real sticker-shock. I had to start cleaning people’s houses, do pet-sitting and other small jobs, just to cover the cost of those textbooks. Due to my heavy accent, I wasn’t able to get typical retail or service jobs, leading me to small jobs. After dropping out of college during my last year due to financial issues, I found myself cleaning houses full time to put food on the table. I looked around and saw other cleaners who told me of their lives and how they came to their present conditions. I saw many similarities between their experiences and my own, as I spoke to many BIPOC and immigrant folks who just wanted a fighting chance to do well in life, and live the American Dream. I said, “I’m not going to waste my smarts, I’m going to do something about this.” That’s how Clyn came about.

Clyn connects homes to home-service providers, the ones who hustle everyday to put food on the table. If you don’t have the resources for a marketing team, for an accounting team, for a finance team, Clyn says “Listen, do what you need to do in terms of cleaning the homes. We’ll get that situated for you.” I think it’s fair to say that Clyn’s the Microsoft of the cleaning industry, because the industry is so mismanaged and fragmented, while Clyn is a one-stop product which helps home-service providers get jobs and manage their business at the same time.

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

There are many competitors trying to make an app and just throwing it into the market, which I think is just a lazy thing to do in 2022. We have to make sure we are taking care of cleaners, because if we do, then they take care of the household. The stories I hear about cleaners not being covered by health insurance are insane to me. Clyn is passionate about these workers getting the necessary insurance coverage. We also help cleaners dictate their prices, which is especially important in this economy. There’s so many things Clyn looks at, especially as I’m a cleaner myself, so I understand what cleaners go through. So I say, “We’re going to change that. We’re going to bring the cleaning industry that has been very traditional and not involved, and bring it up to the standard that it needs to be at today.”

I feel that for other businesses, they always have to deal with old-school software, and use multiple apps to effectively run things. While a business owner can often be at their computer, a cleaner is mostly in someone else’s house, where handling multiple apps can be a serious challenge. Making the transition between different elements of running a home-service business as smooth as possible, lets the cleaners do their job well.

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 remember when I was looking to get into the cleaning business for the very first time, in a Phoenix neighborhood. I was so broke that I couldn’t make a business card, so I ripped off a piece of paper and said if you need a cleaning lady, please call this number. I jammed a paper containing the same number into many doors. Then an old lady named Patty called me and gave me an entire 45 minute-long interview: asking me how I’d handle the cleaning of various things in her house. I was so happy after she finally gave me the job. Patty gave me something impactful in my life as she connected me to people in this Phoenix neighborhood. If there’s anything that needed to be done, I would get a call, and this would evolve over time, leading to me gaining a terrific network of people, which allowed me to understand how creating business and trust with customers is so important.

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

The first lead investor, the Logitech CEO, Bracken Darell, is a crucial mentor. I met him when I asked him a candid question at an online conference he was presenting at, about tech businesses, and immediately he knew I was a diamond in the rough. He was clear that it was crucial for me to not give up, and to remember I have a really good thing going for me. He believed I would be the best person in the home-service industry to disrupt it, as I have the cleaning experience, the technology knowledge and the business experience, whereas most founders in the industry have only one of these knowledge points. This faith really knocked out the imposter syndrome I was dealing with once and for all. It was such a short way of him saying this, but it just takes one contact, one moment, to unlock better things in your life.

Darrell supported Clyn very early on in its existence, so he didn’t initially send a mind-boggling amount of cash. Darrell sent just $10,000 USD to spend on what I deemed necessary to help grow Clyn, by targeting measurable goals. He was clear that I needed to make sure to put Clyn in the market however it could be done. This was such valuable advice. When a Fortune 500 CEO says you have something there and puts in the investment to back their words up, it really fires you up.

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?

Change is always very uncomfortable, but so necessary. If we lead as business owners lead in compassion, with our humanity, then the disruptions we cause bring society forward. There’s a difference between disrupting just to make a name for yourself, compared to one motivated by the knowledge that something has to change to improve society. In the home-service industry, many cleaners are depending on themselves, and can’t come together as a community, so the Clyn app disrupted the industry and allowed for communities to be built, reducing the isolation that leaves them vulnerable. Enhancing the skills of the cleaner is so important, because you’re building up not just the individual cleaner, but also building their business whose revenue goes directly to the cleaner’s household. If disruption and change are looked at in the lense of compassion and what will help humanity move forward, then that disruption is necessary.

Eventually, I want to build Clyn to a point where it can impact immigration reform. I’d love to see a system where cleaners’ work is logged and they can earn their way into citizenship, earn their first work permit, and eventually get licensing for a business. My personal experience with struggling for a fair chance means I am determined to further disrupt the industry and anti-immigrant narratives that exist in the USA. Immigrants create so many jobs (18% of successful businesses have been started by immigrants, despite them making up only 6% of the population), so if you want to see more jobs, give immigrants a fighting chance.

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 one that changed my perspective was, when someone said “you’re perfect for this role because you are black, a woman, and an immigrant.” I said “what does that mean?” They said, there’s so many opportunities now just meant for you. It changed my perspective, where even though I go through so many challenges as a Black immigrant woman, I started to look at where I could go to work where I was valued. Previously I had been willing to just accept a seat at the table with a limited role, or a seat near the table. If I want to win, I need to go where I’m valued, I won’t waste my time at a place where I’m seen as a token, as someone who is otherwise useless. I deserve to be valued, I know that.

I’ve always felt that I wasn’t smart enough because I dropped out of college, but my big brother will constantly remind me that I am made for this, and it makes a big difference for my confidence. Having even one person supporting you makes a difference.

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

We are in the middle of a three-month sprint, and we have a new version of the Clyn application coming out. We’re really excited about that because now you’ll be able to add roommates in the app. Since the pandemic started, the statistics have changed drastically, with 30% of Americans now living with roommates, whether this is with family, friends or colleagues. The biggest issue between roommates is the standard of cleanliness, so we say if that’s the case and you want to save on money while still having your roommate around, go on Clyn and add groups so you can split the payments to the cleaner. We’re excited to have the application’s update go live in July.

Multi-property management is going to soon be included in the app, so if your family members aren’t tech savvy, you can manage the process of getting their house cleaned just on Clyn.

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

Funding is a big one. As women, we have to constantly prove that we are worth the investor paycheque, more than our male counterparts. Ironically, the majority of businesses run by women are more successful than those run by men. Kevin O’Leary from Shark Tank said “I invest in more businesses run by women than those run by men. I know the statistics and I’m going to follow them. I put my bias aside.” There needs to be a conversation about the challenges women face to get funding for their businesses.

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

That book is called the “Phoenix Project”. It’s more technical than anything, but I’d recommend it for any woman trying to get into the tech business, and for those who’ve failed or faced a challenge detrimental to their tech business. Read that book, and read it twice.

The first time you read a book, you find something in the book, the second time you read it, you find something within yourself. I had my entire team at Clyn read it. I said, take a two-week break, but don’t come back to work if you haven’t finished the “Phoenix Project”. When the team came back, they said “Diana I’m blown away, I can’t believe that this issue we were having is because of this and we can resolve it.” Ever since they read the book, the team has been moving so much faster because they have the full picture of it. As leaders we don’t like to tell employees that this is what we are doing as a company, we like to tell our employees to just put their heads down and work. That’s not healthy, if you start treating people like that then they’ll feel that they are just a number. To actually get things done, you have to involve your team in everything, so for example, you tell them what your goals are to get the company to this level of revenue by a certain time.

If you have a chat with an investor that doesn’t go well, just tell your employees the truth. It does make a difference in how they work because they work better if they know they’re a part of something that’s massive and they need to do their part, as part of a team that’s actually disrupting the industry. If you put things to the side, away from employees, they’ll be able to notice over time, and that will impact the pace and quality of the work they get done.

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 biggest goal is to go back to Kenya and build a city. Kenya is a very hot spot for tech, but we can do better. It’s crucial to eventually build a really strong structure around the tech disruptors in Africa.

In the USA, I’d like to see immigrants to get more positive results, to have a fair fighting chance. Is it going to be difficult, yes, but it is worth a try. From the time when I could sense college was slipping away from me, and I was scrambling to do what I could to finish my degree, I remember a student advisor at my college. She really treated some immigrants well, but when it’s my turn to ask for help, she was like “ugh what do you want.” You could see that she favored white international students over Black international students. In the last encounter we had, she was actually yelling on the phone and told me to “go back to my country.” I was just wondering what I did so wrong, I was just wondering how I hadn’t qualified for any scholarships or grants. The way white immigrants are treated compared to black immigrants is insanely different. If you look at economies of scale, that’s why you see many Black immigrants not doing well, since they are constantly cut down.

I was recently talking to a female mentor of mine, who was assigned to me after I got into Venture Devils, a business accelerator here in the Valley, and I told her my story. She was fuming when she heard what I had been forced to go through to get to this point. She said, “Your story is so inspiring but unnecessary. You should’ve been able to receive the necessary help to finish your engineering degree and have been able to keep things moving. You shouldn’t have had to fight for all these years to get a seat at the table.”

I want to see a difference in how immigrants are treated, especially those of color who are darker skinned. We had an entire crusade about Ukrainian immigrants, but no one talked about the Haitian immigrants who were whipped at the border, pushed back into the water and told to “go back to where you came from.” I’m not saying Ukrainian immigrants don’t deserve to be welcomed with open arms, it’s just that Black immigrants should be treated as well as they were.

How can our readers follow you online?

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DianaMuturia

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dianamuturia

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dianamuturia/

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

Female Disruptors: Diana Muturia Of Clyn On The Three Things You Need To Shake Up Your Industry was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Female Founders: Monique Terry of Bold by Monique On The Five Things You Need To Thrive and Succeed…

Female Founders: Monique Terry of Bold by Monique On The Five Things You Need To Thrive and Succeed as a Woman Founder

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

If you have the drive and the determination, being a founder is so rewarding. Not just financially but seeing something that you created grow is indescribable and so gratifying.

As a part of our series about “Why We Need More Women Founders”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Monique Terry– Founder of Bold by Monique.

Founded by Monique Terry in November 2019. For Monique, the constraints and demands of corporate America left her creative soul yearning to break free. In her free time, she started designing edgy statement pieces with handwritten inspirational messages. The simple words of encouragement or scripture are beautiful reminders to keep pushing forward. Soon after launching her initial line, she uprooted her life in the DC metro area and relocated to Dallas, TX. Why? She still doesn’t know what made her take that initial leap, but it has been the best decision for her and her business. Soon after arriving, her local and national following quickly grew and has turned into a tight knit community. Monique’s wants to encourage others to keep going and not be afraid to take bold steps in life. BLDxMonique fuels her creativity while uplifting and inspiring people all over the world!

Absolutely! I’m originally from the DC area and worked in the Government Defense and Aerospace sector for years. I’ve always been a creative, free spirit and the corporate environment was literally draining every bit of me and honestly, I had fell into a bit of depression. It was the feeling of knowing I was supposed to be doing more, something fulfilling but not knowing what or even how. One day I was at my desk at work and wanted to create a product of positive reminders because I knew I couldn’t be the only one feeling this way. I started designing rings, necklaces, and bracelets with little messages during company time in my cubicle lol. At night I would learn about jewelry making, sourcing the best metals, and then vetting manufactures. I actually put my home up for rent and moved in with my sister to save up the capital to start. Looking back, it was sort of a blurr as my focus was intense but 8 months later, I was able to launch BldxMonique in November 2019.

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

I would say actually traveling to new cities and meeting strangers who have purchased our affirmation rings. When I first moved to Dallas, I was out to dinner with a new friend, and when the other guests started to arrive, they were all wearing BLDxMonique rings! The same thing happened in Miami last year! Oh, and scrolling on Tiktok I’ll see viral videos and spot a ring. Lol It’s such a cool feeling!

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 believe the first week we launched, a Boutique in Chicago asked if we did wholesale. I eagerly responded “of Course”! I had absolutely no clue what I was doing so I did what anyone would do… I went to Youtube to try to figure it out. Lol! This store actually ending up purchasing 40% of my launch inventory and I literally had no clue how to package and ship it out. It all works out though and she loved the rings.

I wouldn’t be anywhere without the support of my family and friends from back home in VA. I grew up in a very close-knit community and church. Even though I’m in Texas, they support every single launch, every article, they’ll comment on all my socials, and it feels so good to continually see them order and support the brand and even refer BLDx to all of their friends! There isn’t any particular one person as I’m just so blessed.

Owning a business is HARD. There could be a number of reasons but most women I come into are held by fear. The fear of not being able to obtain finances, or the fear that it will actually succeed and providing income just to live in general. Often having the support is a great hinderance on why some women don’t step out there.

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?

A lot of potential business owners don’t realize that platforms like Shopify and PayPal offer capital for small businesses. You just have to get started and stay true to the course to qualify for these programs.

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?

If you have the drive and the determination, being a founder is so rewarding. Not just financially but seeing something that you created grow is indescribable and so gratifying.

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

Oh man! I hate when people say “copying is the sincerest form of flattery”- Oscar Wilde. We see brands on Instagram trying to copy our original designs all the time and it’s so frustrating. To create intentional pieces and then have people just try to sell your ideas doesn’t exactly feel flattery! To be completely honest I have to remind myself to not focus on that and to just keep going. At the end of the day, I’ve noticed others can’t sustain a business by copying. They always seem to fall off.

The greatest trait a founder should have been self-discipline. Growing up I was in so many sports and believe the structure sports provided, absolutely set me up for success business wise. In high school I was used to doing 8 hours of school, then a 2-hour track practice, dinner, homework, and then back to school at 7pm for competitive cheer practice. As an adult, I worked in HR, but was a professional cheerleader for an Arena Football team. I would work 8 hours, then drive 2 hours in Dc traffic just to then have a 3-hour cheer practice and drive an hour home. Those days I wouldn’t see the sheets until 1am. That’s the type of discipline founders should possess. The grinding behind the scenes is what makes one successful! There will be many days where the fruits of your labor won’t be so evident, but if you keep going, it’ll all work out!

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.)

Start researching good accountants now.

Always be willing to pivot.

Don’t fall in love with every idea. What you think will work doesn’t always. and what you think won’t work often times does.

Keep the blinders on. Don’t focus on what everyone else is doing

Keep your overhead low and reasonable for as long as you can!

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

I hope I have! I’ve had customers who’ve emailed that they wear their affirmation rings to dialysis or chemo as a reminder to keep pushing. Some women are leaving relationships and wear our “know your worth” or “you are enough” to replace their wedding rings. That’s what it’s all about right?

Serena Williams are you reading this?

I absolutely love how she is the brand! Sports, fashion, jewelry, influencer….. she does it all and that’s how I aspire to be!

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

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

Bryan Post of Major Media League: 5 Ways Influencers Can Monetize Their Brand

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

Much of my work has been focused specifically on how parents can parent from a place of love rather than fear. Twenty-five years later and I don’t feel like I’ve even scratched the surface. It’s hard work, but it’s the only worthwhile work. I just want to grow love.

As part of my series about “How Influencers Can Monetize Their Brand”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Bryan Post.

Bryan Post, Founder and CEO of Major Media League, is a superpreneur. Having started twenty companies over a twenty-five-year entrepreneurial career, he has had ten successful exits. His most recent start-up in the social services space grew from 0- 8 figures in three years. A 3-time best-selling author, international speaker, and world-renowned child behavior expert, Bryan has an enduring passion for children, families, and entrepreneurship.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would love to get to know you a bit more. What is your “backstory”? What brought you to this point in your career?

Ha! I’m 49 years old so depending on how long of a story you want that could be a loaded question! I am literally an Okie from Muskogee, as Merle Haggard sang. I was born in Muskogee, Oklahoma and shortly thereafter placed for adoption. I was in a couple of different foster homes before being adopted by a beautiful young couple that was unable to conceive. I was raised in a Mountain View, Oklahoma, a small southwestern town. There were so many great things about my childhood: friends, Friday night sports, and girls!

However, there was also a lot of violence in our home. I had a sister who was also adopted and what most people don’t understand about adoption is that it is a traumatic experience. It shapes the brain in a different way. Leading the child to be more stress-sensitive, anxious, and fearful. This can manifest into problematic behaviors because most parents don’t understand that they use traditional parenting techniques like hitting, yelling, shaming etc., which only exacerbate the problem and create more stress. My parents were beautiful, consistent providers, but they were not nurturing and, when stressed by our behavioral problems, they did all the wrong things.

On the other side of idyllic was more trauma. I excelled in school and sports, but my sister struggled. The violence finally diminished around the time I was sixteen because she left home. However, my sister struggled for the rest of her life, and she was later tragically killed in a car accident.

God allows experiences in our lives to happen for what are, oftentimes, mysteries. The struggles related to my adoption, and family struggles propelled a twenty-five-year career being recognized as one of America’s foremost child behavior experts. When I was in college and needed money, I called my mom and asked if she could send me some. A week later I received an envelope from her with four dollars in it. My parents were spending all their extra money on lawyers to help my sister stay out of jail, so there wasn’t much leftover.

More than thirty years later, those four dollars became one of the inspirations for launching the Major Media League. My mission is for every young athlete to have a chance to be a part of a supportive community and to learn how to put a few bucks in their pocket.

Can you share the funniest or most interesting story that happened to you in the course of your career?

As a trauma expert, I’ve traveled around the world providing consultation to struggling families.

I was working with a family in Alaska once and it was getting late. The mom and I were upstairs the boy’s room working with him on settling down for the night. While he was jumping around, without either of us realizing it, he picked up a pair of scissors, slid around behind me and cut one of my dreadlocks in half! They were about halfway down my back then. It was a big cut!

I thought the mom was going to have a heart attack. I am 100% committed to love-based parenting and used the moment of shock to teach the mom a very valuable lesson on how to love when you really would prefer to choke your child. Many years later, my locks now hang to the back on my legs.

How have you used your success to bring goodness to the world?

The famous activist Cornel West once told me that success is not enough. That if I really wanted to do something, that I should work to be great! My entire career working with families has not been merely to be good at what I do but to be great. To create impact and inspiration in all the lives that I touch.

Love is the most powerful force in the world and all I want to do is generate more love in a world of fear. Whether this is by saving a family, inspiring a career, or empowering a community for young athletes to achieve more than they ever believed. I just want to live the life God put me on this earth to live.

You have been blessed with great success in a career path that many have attempted, but eventually gave up on. Do you have any words of advice for others who may want to embark on this career path but know that their dreams might be dashed?

From the time I was in the first grade, the only thing I ever wanted to be was a professional football player. And I mean it was the only thing. I was 100% obsessed and it is the one thing that got me to college.

After a couple of years in college, I simply realized that dream was no longer for me. I fell into social work and then entrepreneurship. It has never been easy, but it has always been worth it. When you are doing what you love, it is not absent pain. Rather, it just means when you encounter the strain, the stress, and the struggle it’s easier to tolerate. Faith, Focus and Perseverance…from these three things comes success. Set goals, big and small, and go after those goals every single day.

I used to write my goals every day for years until they became a part of my very being. My obsession is driven by my goals. Not everything is going to work out, but you have to find gratitude during the struggle and stay focused on the goal. Where one door is closed, another will open. It is a natural law and, most importantly, don’t let negative people drag you down. Cut them loose and protect your heart and your energy.

None of us can achieve success without a bit of help along the way. Is there a particular person who made a profound difference in your life to whom you are grateful? Can you share a story?

My life is a series of blessings from amazing people that God has placed in my life. Starting with my parents who struggled so mightily with us as children! They were always consistent, predictable, and supportive. My parents gave me a foundation of support that let me take the leap.

My father, Billie R. Post, rest his soul, has been gone eighteen years now. I didn’t for one minute like the whippings he dished out as a kid, but he was the single greatest man I’ve ever known. He was an unwavering rock and the best provider. I miss him so much that it still brings tears to my eyes. My mother, Opal Post, is amazing and is still my biggest fan.

Lawrence G. Anderson, rest in peace, set me on the path of entrepreneurship. Lee Nefsky is still my mentor. I can call on him for anything. And have you ever had a friend who literally tells you that you are awesome? That you are inspiring and loved? My best friend, Patrick Watson, says it to me all of the time. We’ve been best friends since the first grade and those are my “in-the-flesh” mentors. I’ve had so many other mentors from books I’ve read and courses I’ve studied. What’s the takeaway here? Find a mentor, it’s one of the best life hacks.

So, what are the most exciting projects you are working on now? How do you think that might help people?

Major Media League is my latest project, and it is going to be a social media and gamechanger in the sports industry. Yet has there been a community for young athletes to connect with one another AND have a place for their friends/family/friends to follow them, donate, and support them. A platform where they can be mentored by masters of the sport, like gold medalist Olympians, and learn how to build their brand, grow their influence, and become brand sponsors.

What we are creating will be the benchmark that other platforms are measured against. I want this community to transcend sports and become a place for inspiration, influence and social impact.

What are your “Top Five Ways That Influencers Can Monetize Their Brand” . (Please share a story or example for each.)

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A movement of love. In a society of fear, there just isn’t enough love. Love in all we do, in every breath, and interaction. Love that strengthens relationships, creates understanding, acceptance, and hope.

Much of my work has been focused specifically on how parents can parent from a place of love rather than fear. Twenty-five years later and I don’t feel like I’ve even scratched the surface. It’s hard work, but it’s the only worthwhile work. I just want to grow love.

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

I would love to have a conversation with Peyton Manning! When I think of an ambassador for integrity, perseverance, athletic achievement, and success, he immediately stands out. I’ve always respected him as a legendary athlete, and I bet he could likely open any door that the Major Media League and our kids may need.

Call me, Peyton! Let’s do it for the kids!

What is the best way our readers can follow your work online?

I seem to be the most active on Instagram these days, so you can find me @bryanpostofficial (IG) or at bryanpost.com. Also, definitely come check us out @majormedialeague on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube. Thank you for the opportunity!

Thank you for these fantastic insights. We wish you continued success!

Bryan Post of Major Media League: 5 Ways Influencers Can Monetize Their Brand was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Women In Wellness: Sarah Brooks Of Brooks Pilates On The Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help…

Women In Wellness: Sarah Brooks Of Brooks Pilates On The Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help Support People’s Journey Towards Better Wellbeing

The best feedback I have received from multiple clients is how I’ve been able to change their perception of fitness. So many workout methods actually increase inflammation and stress on the body, whereas my method of Pilates promotes pain reduction and mobility so you can do it even when you are 8 months pregnant or suffering from chronic pain. Instead of feeling so sore you can’t move a muscle, you feel elongated and strong, so you can work out daily.

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

Sarah Brooks is the founder, owner, and operator of Brooks Pilates. Brooks developed a style of Pilates that incorporates modern cardio while lengthening and sculpting to deliver optimal results.

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

I was born in the Bronx, NY and was raised between Queens and Westchester. I started practicing Pilates when I was 16 years old with a trainer at Gold’s Gym. We had been lifting weights for about a year before she introduced me to Pilates. After that I never looked back because I just loved how it made my body feel!

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

I started Pilates in high school and knew when I graduated I wanted to move to Miami to become a Pilates instructor. I spent the summer after high school getting my certification, and when I was 19, I moved to Florida all on my own. I decided not to go to college and self-studied anatomy, kinesiology, as well as Pilates. After over 800 hours of practice teaching, I got a job at Equinox and then began my career as an instructor. I think that was a pretty bold move being I was so young and was the only person in my high school to not go to college. My takeaway is that college is not for everyone and I found something I am passionate about and made a career out of it!

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

I have worked for corporate gyms and many different studios, but I always wanted to open up my own boutique studio so that I could fill in all of the gaps I saw missing from the method — one being building a community. I am very grateful I have been able to do this with Brooks Pilates. Having opened during a pandemic I have had to pivot many times to make things work, and it’s taken some time to gradually build.

The best feedback I have received from multiple clients is how I’ve been able to change their perception of fitness. So many workout methods actually increase inflammation and stress on the body, whereas my method of Pilates promotes pain reduction and mobility so you can do it even when you are 8 months pregnant or suffering from chronic pain. Instead of feeling so sore you can’t move a muscle, you feel elongated and strong, so you can work out daily.

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

Celebrating your successes daily.
Feeling and expressing gratitude.
Be kind.
Get enough quality sleep.
Focus on your breath for 5 minutes each day.

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

As a pilates instructor, several clients have escaped wellness and simply accept feeling slow or blow it off to aging. That’s why I envision a movement where people feel good, live their best life and receive incentives to meet goals. Proper food and nutrition, along with other lifestyle behaviors, can help make this change. Because when individuals have the tools and incentives to get back on the path of wellness they would never want to go back.

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

I knew entrepreneurship was all about taking responsibility for your own results; I just did not know that involved many individual decisions. They can really wear you out at the start. So, I wish someone would have told me to learn how to make my best decisions quickly and then get the confidence to stick with them.
Also, I wish someone would have told me before that I am now the person to give myself the permission to do things and waiting on someone else to tell me what to do is not going to work from now on.
Everyone will always “know it better” but you are the one doing it. Don’t take criticism from anyone you would not even be willing to take advice from.
Really start valuing self-care, a schedule, offline times for family and friends as well as going outside is a major point in keeping you with enough energy to keep going.
You don’t have to figure out everything by yourself. Crowd source and hire others to help you.

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

Mental health hands down. Joseph Pilates said “Physical fitness is the first requisite of happiness” and I couldn’t agree more. I feel as though your physical health directly impacts your mental health. All I want is for my clients to be happy, healthy, and pain free!

What is the best way for our readers to further follow your work online?

You can find me on instagram @sarahbrookspilates where I share my love of pilates!

Thank you for these fantastic insights! We wish you continued success and good health.

Women In Wellness: Sarah Brooks Of Brooks Pilates On The Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Female Founders: Kristina Thaden, of ‘Thaden’ On The Five Things You Need To Thrive and Succeed as…

Female Founders: Kristina Thaden, of ‘Thaden’ On The Five Things You Need To Thrive and Succeed as a Woman Founder

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

You are going to lose money: be prepared to make mistakes, including financial ones. This cannot be avoided, do not condemn yourself for it, but learn as much and as quickly as possible from it.

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

Kristina Thaden is the founder and creative director of the Swiss Luxury handbag label Thaden. Entrepreneur in life and artist at heart, she divided her career between C-level roles and her creative pursuits in the arts, including acting, singing and ballet dancing.

As a keen observer of nature, architecture, and everything around her, Kristina had the vision to design an object like no other: a bag that would inspire awe as a work of art, a wearable sculpture that adds a new meaning to the word “luxury” and elevates sophistication to a new level.

My life path combines art and business in a beautiful and efficient way. Already at the age of 6 it was clear to me that I needed to express my creativity and that I belonged to the stage.

I started to write plays in primary school, and as I grew I played leading roles, wrote poems, and performed ballet. But most of all I loved to sing and at the age of 14, I got the lead role in one of the first radio sitcoms in Germany. Later, I completed musical education, studying acting and speaking, to then founding and directing with great joy my own political theatre ensemble.

In order to finance my temporarily unprofitable passion, I took a job in a market research company, rose to team leader and offered trainings to business leaders who needed to increase and optimise their performance. This eventually led me to the path of business, while nurturing my artistic activity. At that time, I perfected my skills in project management and did further trainings in organisational development, coaching and HR –particularly for executives. I also worked as a business developer, HR manager and in my latest position I was appointed deputy managing director in a medium-sized construction company in Switzerland. During this time, I continued working on my creations and on my design ideas.

The pandemic gave me the impetus to start the Thaden project, as I was longing for more creativity, more freedom, more artistic expression in my life again. And this is how I started this wonderful journey.

Can you tell us the most interesting story that has happened to you since you started running your company?

It was in 2021 when I was in Paris for the autumn Fashion Week. I was wearing for the first time one of my prototype signature bags: “The WHOLE”. I was so excited to carry my very own creation out in the city and see how it made me feel. What happened a few hours later still leaves me speechless. While walking in the luxury department store “La Samaritaine” I was stopped around 22 times by random people complimenting my bag and asking which brand was it from. Some even requested to take a picture of the bag. I was so surprised and humbled that I did not even say that I was actually the creative designer of it. This went on everywhere I went. That day I realised that the Thaden bag radiates a magical aura that can stop the crowd and capture their attention.

Can you tell us a story about the funniest mistake you made in your early days? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from it?

I am a very self-driven and pragmatic person, particularly in conversations I tend to be direct and goal-oriented. With time and experience I learned the importance of nurturing personal rapport in business. A genuine, informal rapport leads to a better connection with your business co-workers, ultimately resulting in achieved success. The more you get to know each other, the easier to achieve results together. When there is mutual trust, even the impossible becomes possible.

None of us are able to succeed without someone helping us to do so. Is there a particular person you are grateful to because they helped you get to where you are now? Can you share a story about that?

My husband in an inspiration to me, who believed in my idea since the start and always supported me throughout the journey of my entrepreneurship, with its ups and downs.

It all started with a drink in a bar in Palm Springs on a trip a few years ago. The moon was shining round and big. That’s when I first told him about my idea for the Little Rocket bag, inspired by the moon and the female curves — the first bag I had in mind. He was immediately open to the idea, gave it space and pushed me to think about it further.

Being an entrepreneur himself, he possesses a strong business sense. And what I continuously learn and adapt from him is his strong solution-oriented attitude when it comes to changing plans or solving issues.
He has weathered raging storms in his professional life, from the death threats he received while setting up his manufacturing plant in Northern Macedonia up to fundamental business decisions that changed his life perspective. He is also the main investor of Thaden, an important step that was taken after a thorough assessment and scrutiny of the vision I had in mind. I am incredibly grateful to him for his continuous support and professional advice.

Okay, thank you very much for that. Let’s move on to the main topic of our interview. According to this EY report, only about 20 percent of funded companies have women founders. This is a great historical progress, but it also shows that more needs to be done to give women the opportunity to start businesses. In your opinion and experience, what currently prevents women from starting businesses?

This topic is dear to me because prior becoming the founder of my own label, Thaden, I covered an executive position in a Swiss construction company which, as expected, is a men dominated industry.
In my experience there are some behavioural norms that are so deeply rooted in a woman social behaviour that are hard to break and somehow reinforce a stigma about female entrepreneurship. Think about the use of the language, for instance. Women tend to have a softer approach in conversations and in corporate meetings. You would hear them using more words like “maybe”, “would”, “could” and get to the point less quickly, rather than clearly stating their position and stand up for their ideas and their end goal. This is not to be taken as a criticism, instead I believe this is an aspect of the feminine nature that make us incredibly successful in mediating and negotiating, but it could lead to a vicious circle in which women are seen as comparatively less authoritative than men.

During my corporate career I worked with many talented people, both men and women. Women have the great ability to work together and support each other, leaving out forms of unpleasant personal competition that often characterizes the male sphere.

It is for this reason that in my corporate career I have trained and coached female C-level for many years and I have always encouraged female leadership in my teams. Even today, my company consists mainly of women.

I firmly believe that if we had more women at C-level position and more role-models to look at over time, doors would open more easily to the next generations of young women.

Can you name a few things we can do as individuals, as a society or as a government to overcome these obstacles?

I have concrete ideas thanks to my management background. First of all, there should only be mixed-gender teams in corporate offices as they guarantee a balanced environment where ideas can thrive and communication is diversified. Secondly, more opportunities to combine family and work should be guaranteed to both men and women, particularly rethinking the social role of the woman not strictly limited to motherhood, but also as a professional with a career and ambitions. In this regard the governmental regulations are crucial to support the role of those fathers who choose their family over their career, leaving their partners the possibility to advance professionally without the guilt that society somehow instills in women.
Lastly, there should be clear laws (not quotas) for appointments at management level. In my opinion, only certain guidelines can establish a lasting change in thinking.

This may be intuitive for you as a female founder, but I think it would be helpful to elaborate. Can you give a few reasons why more women should start up?

I think women are marathon runners. We are good at pushing through things, even if it is exhausting or uncomfortable. This is inherent to our nature. We are tough, maybe not as loud or as openly self-confident, but when we start up, we do so with enormous drive and potential that is worth investing in. Because by the time women dive in a new project, they have often thought through and doubted their idea so many times, that in the end it makes sense.

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

Being a founder involves a lot of “sitting at a desk” and a lot more management than creativity, particularly in the first years when you are setting up the foundations of your company.

The myth of the glorified designer who draft ideas on paper all day to then magically see them happen is unfortunately a fairy tale. The reality is very different: so many doors are closed, hundreds of emails go unanswered. You must be be able to endure that, or at least learn how to do it. But believing in your success and your product is no myth, it is an absolute necessity.

Is everyone suited to being a founder? What specific characteristics do you think increase the likelihood of becoming a successful founder and which people should perhaps look for a “normal job” as an employee? Can you explain what you mean?

In my opinion, a founder is someone who approaches any matter in a solution-oriented way There are so many hurdles, obstacles and challenges along the way, that if you are problem-oriented, you are at risk of stagnating. Moreover, you should be able to crawl out of every low moments at a certain point. Lows and doubts are normal, but the important is that you are capable to pull yourself up again and seek support in your network. In this regard, it is crucial to have a support system that can help in times of need, both in business and in life.

Okay, great. Here is the main question of our interview. What are your “5 things I wish someone had told me before I started” and why? (Please share a story or example for each).

You are going to lose money: be prepared to make mistakes, including financial ones. This cannot be avoided, do not condemn yourself for it, but learn as much and as quickly as possible from it.

You will cry: don’t expect a smooth road to success. It will be much harder and tougher than you thought and you will think of giving up a few times. But you will never do it.

You will work non-stop: try to build your routines as soon as possible so that you can make the marathon, otherwise you will completely burn yourself out as a founder and you won’t be able to perform at full capacity in the long run.

You need a network: invest time in good, helpful relationships. Ask for support.

You need to ask questions: ask, always ask. Any question that will help you understand your product or collection better. Ask, and never feel stupid about it.

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

Every single person, every day can make the world a better place. For me, this starts with kindness. I like the saying: “You don’t know what the other person is going through, so be kind” For me, that’s true. Because even if we think we are different, at one point or another we all went through similar feelings like pain, loneliness, fear and sadness.

So, my motto is: “Be kind, don’t be arrogant. Listen. Believe you are great, but not better”. Thaden carries some of these values. We are a luxury brand with outstanding craftsmanship, but we stand for friendliness, closeness and genuineness.

You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring good to as many people as possible, what would it be? You never know what you can trigger with your idea.

There would be a lot to say here, but I want to keep it simple and concrete. It’s the little things in life that can cause a big ripple. The One Day idea: one day a month, be consciously kind to everyone, no matter how unkind they are to you. One day a month, be non-judgmental about others. One day a month, take care of another person. One day a month, be free from any self-criticism (the hardest task at times).These small actions can have a great impact on everyone’s existence and change the course of our lives.

We are very fortunate to have some very prominent names in business, VC funding, sports and entertainment reading this column. Is there a person in the world or in the US that you would like to have a private breakfast or lunch with one day, and why? Maybe he or she will see this if we tag him or her.

Let me name a few, the idea that they might see is great:

Valter D. Longo — to talk about his latest findings on fasting.

Marina Abramovic — to experience her incredible intensity once and explore her performances.

Andrew D. Huberman — to talk about pretty much anything related to neuroscience.

Selena Gomez — to talk about social media and body positivity.

Teodor Currentzis — to talk about being a conductor and his music performances and interpretations

Juliette Binoche — I love her way of acting.

Thaden can be followed on Instagram @thadenofficial

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