SHE.E.O
This year in honor of International Women’s Day, I decided to conduct an interview with some of the most inspiring women in my life. This particular sample of women was chosen for their experience in creating and running their own businesses.
Truly creative, driven, and inspirational ladies I look up to in regards to my own professional pursuits— I wanted to share their knowledge and experience with you all in hopes you can apply to your own business ventures, or just for personal inspiration!
Magnolia Creative Company
Skylar Gross
What is your company's mission statement?
Magnolia Creative Co. exists to champion growing, mission-driven small businesses by helping them establish, grow, and manage a dynamic, active, and true-to-brand online presence.
How would you describe your business to a potential customer?
We are a full-service strategic creative studio; taking you from marketing strategy, to content plan, to branded content, to engaging copy, to (ultimately) a community of loyal fans and prospective customers.
How do you set your business apart from others in your industry? What is unique about your company?
Our clients choose us for our unique approach to social media strategy and management – lovingly called: The Magnolia Method. We know that an effective online presence that supports business growth starts with strategy. This is why all of our clients go through our signature Content Strategy Embracive, which allows us to create custom, sustainable strategies based on data and research. You can think of the Content Strategy Embracive as each clients' custom roadmap to reaching their goals... without the overwhelm.
How does your business look different now vs. when you first started?
When I first started in 2017, I was focused primarily on photography and videography, with the occasional design client here or there. Over the years, I had more people coming to me to help with their social media. In 2022, I decided to completely shift to being a full service creative studio, specializing in digital marketing. We rebranded, we did our website, all of our brand visuals, messaging, etc. and launched about six months ago!
What is your 10-year goal for your company?
My 10-year goal is to continue to expand, partnering with other creatives over a variety of industries to continue to provide our clients with an even better experience.
What parts of this job push you outside of your comfort zone?
While I love marketing other peoples’ businesses, I definitely struggle with getting out of my comfort zone to market my own lol.
How do you deal with fear and doubt?
Oh man, imposter syndrome is REAL, especially as a business owner! But I think it helps if you are able to shift your mindset to reframe that you are the only you there is — you are unique and have a unique perspective on your industry, and your ideal clients are going to choose you because of that unique perspective; not because you’re good at copying someone else.
What are the ways you stay grounded and take care of yourself?
In the field of marketing, it can be so easy to constantly be consuming content. But I think it’s important to make sure you’re allotting plenty of time to create. For me, it helps to unplug on the weekend and when I’m in “create” mode during the week, I try not to consume as much. It may seem counterintuitive but I think it helps me not get so bogged down by what everyone else is doing and really allows me to focus on the kind of content I want to be creating.
What advice would you give to someone just starting their own business?
JUST START. You’ll never be “ready” and there is always something more you can learn. Owning a business is a constant learning experience. Start before you’re ready. Launch before you’re ready. Do everything before you’re ready. And then stick with it because it gets HARD. You’ll have amazing days where you’ll question why you didn’t start sooner and how you could be doing anything else with your life, and then you’ll have really awful days where you’ll call your mom/partner/best friend crying and want to throw in the towel.
What qualities do you think every entrepreneur should possess? What makes a good leader?
The desire to continue learning because you’ll never know it all; the ability to admit when you were wrong and accept responsibility.
What advice would you give to young women entering this profession/organization?
Be prepared to always feel behind. In marketing, everything is constantly changing. You have to be willing to quickly learn something, easily adapt, and also be able to think “big picture.”
MAGNOLIA CREATIVE COMPANY
Girl University
Diamanté Logan
When and why did you decide to start your own business?
Giving back has always been a thing for me. I grew up as a preachers grandkid so serving was always in my heart. My dream career was working in the business side of fashion and I met that goal. My passion is to serve and give back to my community. After understanding this, I started my business when I was in college and made it official in 2017. I started it because I felt that these opportunities were not shown to students who love in lower income areas in comparison to other students . I feel that ALL students should be previewed to the business side of media and fashion and understand that there is a career in these fields. You are essentially running businesses, once mastering that you could potentially set you up to own your own business.
Also there may be other boundaries where students may not be able to attend these types of schools, so we offer financial aid sessions as well.
What products and services does your business offer? What problem does your business solve?
The Executive Professionals and Students that we have visit the schools mainly derive from the Media and Fashion Industries along with Educators at a Collegiate level.
Various roles within the business side of these industries that may be unknown to students include Buyer, Brand Marketing Manager, Media Buyer, Social Media Manager, Leader of Brand Partnerships, etc. Examples of Leaders that we have worked with come from top companies include Tommy Hilfiger and Paramount/BET (just to name a few). Examples of workshops include: Industry Leaders Speak!, Importance of Mentorship, Financial Aid / Scholarship Chat and Self Care: Health and Wellness.
What is your company's mission statement?
Girl UniverCity Inc. is a lifestyle and hub where professionals and students can seek inspiration from top leaders, professionals and students within their respective industries through catered workshops and events.
How much time do you spend working on your business?
I would say about 2-3 hours a day right now. Being that I wear many hats outside of my business. Whether it be jotting down an idea or creating a presentation for my next school/institution visit, I try to make time everyday to maintain growth in the company.
How does your business look different now vs. when you first started?
I now have leadership connections who are willing to donate their time to speak with students regarding careers.
There have been networking experiences with young women where they have connected and created beneficial relationships of their own with eachother.
The company is now an official partner/vendor with the NYC DOE (Department of Education)
What is your 10-year goal for your company?
I want to have an running office where the focus for me would be 100% on the non-profit and creating workshops during the school year and summer programs to get them prepared for their potential business careers while practicing work/life balance. Aside from that, for the young women leaders, I would love to continue to host networking sessions annually where leading women and perspectives in the industry can attend and connect with eachother to create beneficial relationships.
How have you built confidence and/or resiliency over the course of your career?
Yes I have but with complete transparency, this is something that I am personally still working on. I personally use positive affirmations and meditation practices to ground myself and remind myself of how far I have come to where I am now.
What are the ways you stay grounded and take care of yourself?
Walk/jog outside . Read a book. Spending time with friends and family without technology. Meditate. Relax in nature or by the water.
Who inspires you (alive or not) and why? Who are some women you look up to?
My mom is my biggest inspiration. She is an absolute go getter who has her doctorate, was basically a single parent, and is completely selfless. Her focus was for me and her to live the best life we could life while ensuring the I remained healthy and finished my education with what I wanted to do. I actually remember when I was little, going to dance class and once class was done, I ran out and saw piles of paper spread out on the bench because she was doing her research for college. That was one of the moments where I saw her drive to succeed while always making sure she was there for me and doing the best for both of us. I will always be thankful for her and I hope that I can do at least half of what she did for me for my future children.
What is the hardest part of being an entrepreneur? What is your favorite part of being an entrepreneur?
I feel like the hardest part is consistency and motivation. Creating a PLAN or MAP is so important. This will guide you even when you go astray from yourself and what you want to do. Distractions happen, and that is okay but you have to stay determined and disciplined to keep going. My favorite part is that you are essentially (or should be) following your dream or passion. This is the time where you should feel like you soul or “cup” is being filled with what you want to do without anyone over your head. You are in control.
How can women support other women in their organizations?
Women can support others but word of mouth while networking or just discussion in topics, sharing on social media, motivating or encouraging the individual woman, donations, investing (purchasing product), or connecting them with who you may know would be beneficial to them or they could be beneficial to eachother.
Petal Patch
Glacia Stalcup
When and why did you decide to start your own business?
2015. The simple answer is because it was my dream to own a flower shop and run my own business! The longer answer to your question and “push” to what made that dream become a reality was that I was tired of working for the “corporate world”. It was after I kept climbing the ladder of retail management over and over, opening up new chain shopping stores, brought in one million dollars in sales, worked another job here and there for “extra income” that I realized my love for sales and work ethic should go behind my love and creativity for flowers and plants with my experience, and love for helping others into my business and my family’s pockets!
Where did you get the idea for your business?
I had worked in a flower shop as a florist before meeting my husband as a single mom and with my heart for helping others, love for flowers and plants, retail, and management experience I kept seeing myself running my own flower shop over the years. After designing my own wedding, expressing that dream with family, and with the encouragement of my husband and family that dream became reality!
What products and services does your business offer?
Fresh Flowers, Plants, and Gifts for any occasion. We really do try to cater to any and all functions of life that people may celebrate. I wouldn’t say there is one specific product that we use. Each holiday, age, gender, season, there is a gift or design for any option to be delivered or picked up for what our customer may need. What problem does your business solve? Not your typical problems, but for when life throws you the unexpected curves like a death, we cater to funerals and offer personalized items and of course, flowers in fresh and silk for those last minute occasions. We do work with our customers budget, help deliver, offer wire orders, transfers for ‘out of town orders’, offer charge accounts and invoices monthly for our regular customers and businesses who we see month to month, and we solve problems for those last minute orders by having fresh orders made up daily with our front cooler in the gift shop.
What market does your company serve?
In the Retail market we are servicing the Home Goods, Gifts Option side. Our Biggest production of Market is the Retail Florist Industry. I actually have two stores! So we have to market the best we can to reach Coleman, Brown, and the surrounding counties.
How did you come up with the name for your company?
Thankfully as my flower shop grew I kept purchasing “established” names/shops with years and history.
What is your company's mission statement?
Petal Patch is here to be your local friendly florist. We work with your budget in mind, providing flowers for any occasion.
How would you describe your business to a potential customer?
I always introduce myself, let them know we have two locations and our mission statement, and then I usually will tell them where we are located and about the seasonal flowers at the moment or just something to help them remember the shop so they can return.
How do you set your business apart from others in your industry? What is unique about your company?
The fact that we do have two locations and cover such a broad area for delivery and have so many employees. No other florist in our area will have that! Plus the heart and passion my team and I share is priceless. Speaking of prices, our prices are unbeatable! We make sure to carry affordable gift options and design flower arrangements that do not “break the bank”. I expanded my first store within two years, the second, two years after that, and we managed to stay open through the pandemic! We never shut our doors!
Who are your primary competitors in your market?
In Coleman, no one! I bought out my competition. In Brownwood, it’s 3 other small florist.
What are your expectations and fears for your business?
I expect to make a profit and provide for my family and keep going! My fear is to fall on my face or to let my family and team down. Of course, you want to succeed!
What are your typical responsibilities as the business owner?
Overseeing day to day operations, communicating effectively with my managers so that what I’m planning for my business they can help turn into outstanding customer service and reality with our designs. I’m very involved with every aspect of my business. You have to be as a business owner. But in order to not get overwhelmed, I have to be able to delegate task to employees and learn to trust my team so that I’m not overwhelming them as well. I am so grateful and thankful that I happen to be surrounded by excellent team members who I can trust to get the job done efficiently.
What routines do you follow each day? Describe a typical day.
That is the great thing about being in the florist industry, you can never expect to have one day the exact same and that especially goes for when you are responsible for a store and business! Plan for the unexpected!! I do open with coffee in hand and close each day knowing my sales and records daily! Even if I’m not present, my team has a routine to open/ close with procedures for reports each day. I do check in with my POS system each day as well to make sure all is up and running efficiently whether I’m there or or not. There’s just so much that physically goes into running a flower shop. You might not think this, but if I’m at the store-I’m all over the shop. From designing, washing buckets, cleaning a cooler, clipping a plant, delivering, to helping a customer, and working with my book keeping and payroll. I don’t feel like when I’m there, that I’m too big to not be involved in my business! I like to know what’s going on when I pop in and that each part can work whether I’m there or not as if I was, and that can only happen when there are procedures in place snd people you can count on. Our days just are not typical due to the occasional orders that are seasonal and non typical orders. When you are a creative person, typical jobs are often “too” structured. A typical day during Homecoming Season compared to Prom Season bs next Monday with 3 funerals can be so different.
How much time do you spend working on your business?
My family would definitely tell you too much! I’m obsessed bc I love it! This last year, I’ve had to learn to take more time off for medical reasons. I don’t exaggerate when I say that I’d work 60-70 hours a week easily.
How did you market your business when it was brand new?
Mostly word of mouth, but with radio and Facebook.
How do you advertise your business?
Flower Shop Network, FTD, Facebook, advertising through Sports Sponsorship, Radio, social media, Facebook, sponsorships, website, and word of mouth.
How many employees does your company have?
Nine.
What changes have you made to your business strategy over the past few years?
We have had to adjust price points after the inflation of prices. That strategy was to go up on delivery charges and up on our prices of course so we could increase a profit and to keep up with the increase of cost of goods. This is still something we have to adjust to, as prices from wholesalers may still vary as we need our expenses to stay down.
How does your business look different now vs. when you first started?
We have expanded into two locations and doubled employees. I started with the Cottage Flowers in 2015, and purchased it from a funeral home director in Coleman. Two years later, I had the opportunity to purchase the flower shop, the Petal Patch in 2017, which had been in business for over 40 years. This had allowed me to be the only flower shop in Coleman. In 2019, I purchased Flowers by Phyllis in Brownwood. This flower shop had been in business for about 50 years. I named it as the second location, Petal Patch. By 2023 we had increased our business by 20%
What is your 10-year goal for your company?
To make a profit, to help my family and purchase better equipment and tools for my shops. My personal situation has changed due to being diagnosed with MS this last year. My work load will look much different physically, as well as my schedules. I’d like to increase a profit, in order to afford more employees so that I could afford to be home more to concentrate more on my health.
What inspired you to start a business?
My passion for designing flower arrangements Do you still feel the same way? I do! I love to decorate and design!!
How does your previous work experience relate to this position?
I’ve been a florist, store manager, sales manager, and retail manager. My background in nonprofit, psychology, and love for plants and flowers definitely has helped guide me to the point in my life.
How and when did you start this line of work? Do you have previous experience in your market or industry?
I really got started with gardening at a young age with my grandmother. I’ve always loved working with crafts and been one to get creative. I started working in sales at 16. My first management position was at age 21 in retail. I worked 2-3 jobs through out college and studied Psychology and Theater at Angelo State University. I have 25 years experience working in customer service, in sales, and 20 years in a manager position. I have 12 years experience in the floral industry.
What are you passionate about in your business?
I’m most passionate about designing and helping people.
What parts of this job push you outside of your comfort zone?
When I’m on a time limit and budget that is to the extreme. It can sometimes make things extremely stressful when it’s a lot of tedious work, especially designing with fresh flowers on your feet.
How do you deal with fear and doubt?
I try to keep a visual in my mind if what a end goal needs to look like regardless if it’s my design, a sale, or just setting up my window for the season to market for the store!
What have been some of your biggest learning experiences in running a business?
To not be too trusting with employees, and yet do learn it’s ok to trust employees. It’s taken me a long time to build the team I have and I can’t say we got here over night. I have had to learn to give and take as far as running my own business, and having people work for me. There’s a balance and it’s taken time to find that for us all. It takes mistakes experience on both ends, with my employees and management, and with me to see what works best for everyone. What works for my business may not work for someone else. I have found open communication to be the best policy no matter what I’m up against.
Describe your worst working day.
What did you learn from the experience? Oh man, I’d have to say when we had the “Ice Apocalypse”, we call it and the phone kept ringing and orders kept coming in because there was a funeral going on that week. I was the only person who could and I would need in that circumstance to come in, but of course customers who lived out of town and online orders were still coming in hot! I worked that night until almost 1am, not by choice but bc I had to do the orders could get finished. The service was at 10am that next morning. I knew I’d have to finish so I could deliver it all that next morning at 8am when the funeral home opened to give them time to set up. This was in the midst of me having MS so needless to say, I don’t move physically fast. That was hard. There was a lot of pressure on me that day to get the orders taken care of and designed.
What element of your job would you gladly give up?
If I could take the pain away from seeing families hurt I would. It is with such honor that you can design a family piece in remembrance of a person. To feel that hurt sometimes from another person when they pass, it can be really hard. I’d give up the sadness that I see and feel when my employee tells me it’s their last day with me. I would give up the aspect of those months when you work blood, sweat, and tears and you lose money that month. I wish every month was great, but Summers are hard for Florist.
How would you describe your work style?
I am a team oriented person, and I like a fast paced environment. I’m very goal oriented and I like a plan in place. Positive Vibes, Positive Energy!!
Describe your leadership style and how you “lead” others. Is it different from your male counterparts?
I love to learn. I have a curious personality and because I’m creative I’m always up for a good challenge to figure something out, even if that means solving a problem. My heart goes out to help people. I try to help lead by figuring out who needs and wants my help, but also who wants to be lead. I wouldn’t say I’m different from my male counterparts in how I lead people.
As a leader, how do you stay mindful of who’s at the table and who’s missing?
By staying observant, keeping an open mind, and listening to the needs of people around me.
Do you experience resistance when you are leading men? How do you deal with it?
I’ve never dealt with that much. Looking back I’ve always gotten along with my male peers or when leading men. If I ever had to give direction to a former male employee, they took it with stride.
Have you been in a leadership position where you were treated differently than your colleagues?
Only as the owner have I felt this way. I have come to realize that it’s not something I can take personally when I witness this because I’m not meant to be on a personal level with my employees in that regard as friends. I may consider them as a friend, but that doesn’t mean they have to consider me in that war. It is nothing personal and I will not ever change the way I treat them as an employee.
What do you think is the most significant barrier to female leadership?
Lack of Encouragement.
How have you built confidence and/or resiliency over the course of your career?
When you have a family depending on you, employees, and customers you just keep pushing on! My Faith is what keeps me going, because my confidence is not in what I can do! It’s in what I Believe in.
What are the ways you stay grounded and take care of yourself?
Staying Spiritually and Mentally Focused. Making good choices, not saying I don’t slip up. There are days I have to adjust my focus to ground myself again.
How do your personal strengths benefit the business?
I’ve actually been through a lot in my life. I’ve always believed that the best view comes after the hardest climb! Nothing good comes easy. That especially is true with owning a business!!
How do you personally define business success?
Making a difference! Is it money? Of course it revolves around making money, but if that’s all you are planning to get out of it then you are definitely doing it for the wrong reasons in my opinion! Freedom? Once you have paid sales, payroll, and property taxes I don’t know if you can honestly answer “yes” lol to this question but no really!! Also, I have never taken a vacation or been in the hospital and been free to not think about my business! Influence? You have to be careful to not say or do the wrong thing! Creative expression and innovation? This is the make or break for me!! Something else? If you had given me these questions a year ago, I could’ve answered them no problem. This really took me a very long time to complete in ways I cannot even begin to explain. As you can see, my answers may be lengthy. With having MS it has changed in how I have to think about my wording and I often pause. Literally pause and nerves get jumbled up. I also haven’t been working full time in the last few weeks. Valentines exasperated me. March is MS awareness month. Answering these questions allowed me to pause, and think about my business. This reminded me again of why I fell in love with this business and has inspired me to Not Give Up!! Thank you Kristin for reminding me and stirring up my heart again!!
Who inspires you (alive or not) and why? Who are some women you look up to?
My grandparents inspired me with their marriage and how they lived their lives. I was so close to them! They instilled in me Faith and showed me the unconditional love that Christ gave them. Both of my Grandmothers taught me life lessons. My Grandmother’s are who I looked up to because they were women who took care of their family and had so much love to give to others.
What advice would you give to someone just starting their own business?
It’s never too late! Write out a business plan, save up a savings account, and have a good account/book keeper!
What qualities do you think every entrepreneur should possess? What makes a good leader?
Willingness to learn from mistakes, humility, eagerness, integrity, compassion, experience, and passion for the business.
What would you change about your business journey if you could go back?
Not expanding right before the pandemic! No way we could have seen that coming!!
What advice would you give your 25-year-old self?
Slow down. You don’t have to accomplish it all right now. Invest. Invest. And SAVE!!!
What is the hardest part of being an entrepreneur?
You can get too invested in the time you put into your work that I become obsessed almost. I have to find a balance, the best that I can especially now with learning what my body can and can’t handle.
What is your favorite part of being an entrepreneur?
Doing what I love! My come and go schedule!
What do you think is the significant challenge facing small businesses today?
Taxes and not being able to afford medical insurance.
What advice do you have for women looking to grow either their own business or within the company they work for?
Communication, and nothing is impossible if you express it! Make it happen!!
What advice would you give to the next generation of female leaders?
Don’t make Excuses. Can’t never could! Believe in yourself!
What advice would you give to young women entering this profession/organization?
Learn every aspect of the craft and trade! Hands on is the best way to learn!
How can women support other women in their organizations?
Encouragement! Speak 🗣 Positives! I think when you speak it, you manifest a dream into existence! Women are incredible Beings! There is absolutely nothing we can’t do, especially when we put our minds to it!
PETAL PATCH
115 E ADAMS ST
BROWNWOOD, TX. 76801
(325) 646-0820
Bringing Balanced Back
Maggie Hennigan
Where did you get the idea for your business?
I decided to start Bringing Balanced Back after going through hell and back with my own relationship with food and my body. In high school, I was drastically overexercising and restricting calories severely, and essentially went to the opposite extreme in the beginning of college and rapidly gained weight. I sought advice in all the wrong places and believed just because someone had a 6 pack and a thigh gap, they had the authority to give nutrition advice. I was frustrated and thought there must be something wrong with me for not having enough “self-control” or “willpower” to avoid eating the foods I love. I finally learned you can be confident in your skin and your body while also drinking alcohol, eating ice cream, not overexercising, and not counting out damn almonds. Therefore, I started Bringing Balanced Back to be the voice I wish I would have heard during that time.
What is your company's mission statement?
My mission with Bringing Balanced Back is to be a voice of sustainability and reason in a world full of nutrition misinformation. I aim to show clients it is possible to have your cake and eat it too: to eat food you love, live a life you enjoy, and make progress at the same time. I help my clients find balance in their lives and their eating to feel better inside and out.
How do you personally define business success? Is it money? Freedom? Influence? Creative expression and innovation? Something else?
At the moment, success is positively changing lives while getting paid a comfortable, liveable amount to do so. Thus far, this goal is pretty modest and has been pretty easily achievable. However, given the impending economic doom we’re facing, I am trying to expand out my offerings to include lower priced client assistance as well. I am due to release an online course at the end of March!
What are your typical responsibilities as the business owner?
My responsibilities as a business owner include communicating with clients both formally (via our weekly to biweekly zoom calls) and informally (via text). I make sure that my clients have everything they need to be successful, whether that’s creating new recipes, new resources, helping them grocery shop, etc. I am also responsible for marketing to clients via primarily Instagram and tiktok and thus making various forms of content for those platforms. I also offer a weekly email newsletter, called the Balanced Bulletin. So I both encourage followers to sign up for the newsletter, while also creating added value for the email list as well. And I am releasing my online course soon! So right now, that has been quite the time-sucker as I distill all my nutrition and fat loss knowledge into easily-consumable education.
What routines do you follow each day? Describe a typical day.
A typical day in my life as a registered dietitian with a virtual private practice: I get up at around 6:30 AM and either walk on my walking pad or do some household chores. My earliest call is usually not til 10 AM, so before calls start I make sure I’ve responded to prospective clients, organized my planned content for that day, and gotten ready if the day needs filmed content. I try to create content for my lunches and dinners, whether that’s instagram stories or the cooking process of the meal is recorded for tiktok. I usually stop work and calls around 5 PM and head on a walk or meet up with friends at that time. After the walk I will prep for the next day’s client calls, and end the day watching reality tv and relaxing with either a cup of tea or a United Soda with ice in a wine glass.
How much time do you spend working on your business?
One of my biggest struggles is disconnecting from work. Even doom scrolling on tiktok is considered tongue-in-cheek “market research” for me. I try to limit myself to a 7:30 AM - 5 PM workday but often I work longer and later, depending on the week.
How do you advertise your business?
I advertise exclusively via Instagram and TikTok. I make free educational and relatable content on both platforms, recommending that if viewers enjoy my content and resonate with my vibe, to apply for coaching at my website, which is linked on both platforms.
What inspired you to start a business? Do you still feel the same way?
For me, starting a business just made sense. Dietetics is not known to be a high-paying field, so I went into it with that knowledge, but an insatiable passion for nutrition. Prior to starting Bringing Balanced Back, I worked for a plastic surgeon in my hometown building out the nutrition side of his practice. Eventually it became obvious that the blood, sweat, and tears I was pouring into his practice could be used to create my own. Pivoting to entrepreneurship and a private practice of my own enabled me to work with exactly the type of people I wanted, to charge a rate that was comparable for the work I do for clients, and to have the freedom and flexibility to grow and change as I pleased. Both then and now, a little over 2 years later, I still wake up daily and feel like the luckiest girl in the whole world.
What are you passionate about in your business?
There is nothing better than seeing someone realize that sustainable fat loss is possible, even while eating and living in a way they enjoy. So I am very passionate about correcting nutrition misinformation, as I’ve experienced firsthand how pervasive and nefarious it can be. Diet culture erodes your confidence, and your physical and mental health. So, liberating clients from diet culture’s clutches is so inspiring and rewarding. I want my clients to leave my coaching program so rock-solid in the science of nutrition, that they are able to liberate others in the same way. It is now also a movement in the profession to avoid intentional fat/weight loss because they claim it can’t be done healthily and sustainable. I wholeheartedly disagree, and what to provide a safe space for clients to change their bodies in a healthy way that they can maintain. So I am very passionate about walking the line between healthy, sustainable, fat loss and diet culture.
What advice do you have for women looking to grow either their own business or within the company they work for?
Genuinely, my only regret is not starting sooner. I have always wanted to work with clients in a 1:1 setting, and I have always been incredibly independent. Combining those two attributes just makes sense. I could have left my residency program with a robust practice already, so I missed out on at least 1-2 years of greater income. So my best advice is to monetize whatever skills you have, even if it’s just on the side. The model of 1:1 coaching and then scaling from there works for so many different niches, and with online practices there is significantly less overhead. I know my friends are sick of me telling them to start taking clients independently for financial advising and interior design, etc., but there are so few downsides. Find what you love and what others would love to know how to do, and take the leap and monetize that.
Currently offering a free 5-day meal plan with weekend alcohol tips!
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Origin Interiors LLC
Kaitlyn McBride
When and why did you decide to start your own business?
After leaving my last office job for my first contract job, I realized the freedom and flexibility working on my own allowed so I decided to create my own LLC and work independently.
What products and services does your business offer? What problem does your business solve?
My LLC is for Interior Design. So I will create drawings to reflect the design direction we want to go in. I will also contact all vendors and set up the purchase of any goods needed to bring the design into fruition. I feel my business allows a closer client-designer bond since I am the sole designer and am able to work closely and intimately with all my clients.
What are your typical responsibilities as the business owner?
As a business owner my typical responsibilities are to make sure all of my licensing is up-to-date as well make a plan and market my business. I also have to be able to provide discounts to my clients and to do that I have to contact each vendor to set up trade accounts. Since I am the only designer it also falls on me to contact clients frequently to fill them in on any updates as well as stay on top of any orders and be in contact with the architect and GC as needed to make sure the project is moving according to plan.
How did you market your business when it was brand new?
The manner in which I started marketing and still market my business are one and the same. Luckily for me, my family is well established in the design/architecture world. For me, many of my clients were referred to me from these prior existing relationships (it’s always about who you know) and other than word-of-mouth I have advertised myself on Upwork and Thumbtack. I also frequently attend interior design gatherings for show rooms and material releases. This allows me to create relationships with other interior designers who I may possibly collaborate in the future with.
How does your previous work experience relate to this position?
All of my previous experience with this industry prior to starting my own business has been in high-end residential. I’d say the firm I worked for left me well prepared on how to handle all aspects of the design world and how to also create designs the truly elevate a home regardless of material costs.
What parts of this job push you outside of your comfort zone?
I think interior design in general pushes you outside your comfort zone. The wider variety of clientele you accept, the more creative you need to be to meet the needs and wants of your client. Outside of the profession itself, running your own business forces you to put yourself out there and make connections you might not have needed to make working under another.
How do you deal with fear and doubt?
I think that’s one part of design that many designers stuff me with. The idea of design is creating this idea based off limited information from the client. You spend hours on hours creating a design you feel will go above and beyond their expectations and will absolutely wow them only to meet with them and have them tear your design apart. It can be incredibly never wracking and very hard not to take personal. I, however, have reframed my thinking around design. While I’m designing I remind myself this is my own interpretation of what the client is looking for and I go in with the understanding that most clients don’t know what they want until they see it in application. In every meeting I attend I go in expecting my design to be torn apart. This allows me to remove any personal connections to my design and creates a space where I am able to look at it more objectively with the client.
Have you ever felt the imposter syndrome, and if so how did you navigate your way through it?
Absolutely! Imposter syndrome does not discriminate and I feel it affects more people than one may believe. I was terrified to make the jump and would often feel I would be incapable of running my own business. But while the little voice telling my to couldn’t do it was there, there was another little voice telling me I could do it because so many women before me had. I’m not sure I have the perfect cure for imposter syndrome but I just kept pushing and kept moving forward regardless of the little voice telling me I couldn’t. I think the more you do something the more confident you become in it but that’s not to say the imposter syndrome won’t move onto to areas where you feel less confident. You just have to keep pushing regardless.
What qualities do you think every entrepreneur should possess? What makes a good leader?
I think a good entrepreneur is organized and is able to time manage themselves. As an entrepreneur, I think it becomes super prevalent how it is completely up to you if you sink or swim and it relates back to how much time and effort you are willing to give. I think a good leader is someone who is able to communicate their expectations in a kind manner while also being receptive to feedback. I think the most liked and successful leaders often are able to find the line that exists between boss and friend.
What advice would you give to young women entering this profession/organization?
My advice to any young woman entering into interior design is to not take anything too personal. Interior design is a high-stress career. This can cause you to feel like maybe you aren’t receiving enough direction from higher-ups or maybe coworkers are tightly wound or the client is testing your design apart and it may cause feelings of inadequacy. None of this is a reflection of your work performance. I think it’s important to remember that design is subjective and it’s our job as designers to help the client understand their direction. Also, don’t be afraid to speak up if you feel you aren’t getting what you need in your work environment. And when all else fails, bring cookies. Everyone loves cookies.
Spread Pawzitivity
Julie-Anne
When and why did you decide to start your own business?
It was not originally candles. I needed a costume dog tag so I went on Etsy and I realized it was metal stamping. I wanted to try metal stamping myself so I bought the stuff for it and practiced. From that point forward I was getting a lot of requests for costume dog tags from people at the animal pad. I expanded to keychains.
When covid came around I lost my job, I was an airline attendant during covid, and I moved to LA and rented a room from my sister. At the time my sister was doing a lot of arts and crafts and was making candles. I wanted to get involved and suddenly we were selling them at farmers markets.
How did you come up with the name for your company?
I am always saying things like PAWfect and PAWzitive for marketing a lot. So Spread Pawzitivity came naturally. I know that it had to be something animal related.
What is your company's mission statement?
The mission is that 13% of all proceeds go to no-kill animal shelters.
How would you describe your business to a potential customer?
We sell high quality non-toxic candles that are made from soy wax and contribute to an important cause.
What are your expectations and fears for your business?
I fear that the company may never live up to its full potential/ won't be as amazing as it can be because I am such a busy person.
Meet the Founder
My name is Julie-Anne and I have always had a passion for helping others. I majored in Child & Family Development at San Diego State University and worked for various non profits helping victims of domestic violence and child abuse. In 2011, I co-founded the non profit IDEAL (International Deaf Education Advocacy & Leadership). I spent a summer in Africa supporting and empowering deaf children and youth through human rights advocacy and the promotion of education and leadership.
I later went on to become a flight attendant for a major airline in 2015 and volunteered at a local animal shelter during my free time. Unfortunately, that's when I learned about the harsh reality of kill-shelters. According to the ASPCA, about 1.5 million shelter animals are euthanized each year in the US. My heart broke when I discovered these horrific statistics. I couldn't believe that people would continue to buy animals from breeders and pet shops when millions of innocent shelter animals were being killed every day. 1.5 million animals euthanized each year simply because they didn't have a safe place to call home. It was at that moment I realized I had to do something. Anything.
That’s when I founded Spread Pawzitivity in 2020. It is through this small business that I am able to spread awareness and raise money to help save these shelter animals. By donating 13% of profits to no-kill animal shelters and rescues, I hope to one day end the unnecessary killing of innocent shelter animals.
I currently volunteer as the Director of Events for The Animal Pad dog rescue (TAP) where I hope to spread awareness about the importance of rescuing throughout the San Diego community and beyond. While volunteering at TAP, I experienced the power of rescuing firsthand. I adopted two rescue dogs including Trooper, who is a tripawd, and Rexi Roo, who was born without her two front legs. I am so in love with these special fur babies and so grateful for their unconditional love. They truly are my inspiration, they are the reason why I choose to Spread Pawzitivity.
I may not be able to save every animal that will be euthanized this year, but I can at least start with one!
Popup Books
Courtney Wood
When and why did you decide to start your own business?
Pop-Up Books was founded in April of 2022. I started out as a volunteer and was asked to join their board in November of 2022.
Where did you get the idea for your business?
Our President, Nick Bourgeois, started Pop-Up Books to honor his late wife, Dominique. Dominique was the teacher every parent dreamed of for their children. She was passionate about showing her students how to fall in love with reading. Pop-Up Books is honored to follow in her footsteps and bring a love of reading to all kids in the Dallas Fort Worth community through our free book fairs.
What products and services does your business offer? What problem does your business solve?
Pop-Up Books brings the beloved book fair experience to schools, organizations, and community events in DFW neighborhoods with book deserts. The best part—it’s completely free!
The mission of the Pop-Up Books Foundation is threefold:
(a) to provide brand-new free books to children of local communities in a book fair format to improve access to and encourage enthusiasm for reading;
(b) to educate the public about local resources that grant free or affordable access to educational materials;
(c) and, to support other events and organizations that focus on reading.
What are your expectations and fears for your business?
In the last few months of 2022 we were able to hold four free book fairs that gave away over 1,000 books to children in need. We’ve set some big goals for the 2023 year, this week we are holding a free book fair for one of the Boys and Girls Club after school program where we will be able to give out around 100 books, and we are currently working on fundraising for an event partnered with one of our local school districts which would reach around 6,000 students if we meet our goal.
What are your expectations and fears for your business?
For non-profits their biggest fear is always running out of funds. But we know we cannot spend our time living in that fear. We have to focus on our mission - provide the beloved book fair experience to schools, organizations, and community events for free!
What inspired you to start a business? Do you still feel the same way?
I’m very passionate about early literacy and the foundation that it builds for success in all other academic areas. I see firsthand how it impacts a child’s education when they do not have access to books at home. I was also lucky enough to teach with Dominique for a couple of years. Her passion for life and teaching was contagious to anyone she came in contact with. Nick reached out to me when Pop-Up Books was first founded for book recommendations and to volunteer at their first event. From there the relationship grew organically. Taking my passion and a way to honor an incredible educator was a perfect fit – I knew I had to be a part of Pop-Up Books.
How does your previous work experience relate to this position?
I started teaching in the fall of 2013. I was at a high needs elementary school, assigned to teach second grade. Many of my students were reading well below grade level and I felt so lost on how to close their reading gaps. By January of 2014 I was applying to grad school to learn more about early literacy. I graduated from SMU in 2017 with anM.Ed in Reading and Writing. During those three years my passion for early literacy grew immensely. We learned stats like 50% of adults cannot read a book written at an eighth-grade level, access to printed materials is the key variable affecting reading acquisition, or that 61% of low-income families have no books at all in their homes for their children. Reading and access to books shouldn’t be a privilege – it’s every persons right to learn to read. Pop-Up books brings our events to areas that are considered a book desert. Every day is a new day of learning how to help run and support a non-profit but it is fueled by my passion for education and early literacy. I am constantly learning from my fellow board members and step in to help in anyway that they need.
What advice do you have for women looking to grow either their own business or within the company they work for?
Oh gosh, advice…this journey is still so new for me. The best advice I could give at this stage is to find what you are passionate about and find a way to bring that passion into your daily life.