Behind Her Empire is focused on highlighting self-made women leaders & entrepreneurs and how they tackle their career, money, family and life.
Each episode covers their unique journey and what it really takes to build an empire with key lessons learned along the way. The goal of the series is to empower you to see what’s possible & inspire you to create financial freedom in your own life.
#294: Beat Burnout: Proven Strategies to Reclaim Your Energy and Vitality - Dr. Amy Shah
Season 2 · Episode 294
Wednesday, September 25, 2024 • Duration 49:51
Feeling overwhelmed and always tired? You’re not alone, and it doesn’t have to be this way. In this episode with Dr. Amy Shah, we explore powerful strategies to combat burnout and boost your energy. Don’t settle for feeling “normal”—watch this to learn how to effectively manage sugar cravings, align your lifestyle with nature's rhythms, and reclaim your vitality with her practical tips.
In this episode you’ll learn:
* Hormone basics for all life stages
* The truth about adrenal fatigue
* How to combat sugar cravings
* The role of dopamine in cravings
* When women should and shouldn’t fast
* And more…
Dr. Amy Shah is an MD and nutrition specialist. She works in clinical medicine, allergy/immunology, and over the last 10 years has developed a world-renowned wellness education platform, written bestselling books, and has been featured on The Today Show, Good Morning America, Mel Robbins Podcast, and Ed Mylett Podcast. She has worked with companies like Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan, Alo, and more. She works to discover less invasive interventions, promote wellness, and teach others how to impact their health via nutrition and exercise—using medication as a last resort. Her goal is to empower people to “save themselves” through nutrition and lifestyle changes.
This episode is brought to you by Beeya:
* If you or anyone you know have been struggling with hormonal imbalances and bad periods, go to https://beeyawellness.com/free to download the free guide to tackling hormonal imbalances and to learn more about Beeya’s seed cycling bundle.
* Plus, get $10 off your order by using promo code BEHINDHEREMPIRE10
#293: After Many Years in Corporate, She Finally Found the Courage to Quit & Start Her Dream Denim Brand - Grace Na, Founder of Pistola
Season 2 · Episode 293
Monday, September 23, 2024 • Duration 01:02:13
Grace Na is the founder and creative director of Pistola, a LA-based premium denim label offering contemporary ready-to-wear collections designed by women for women who are going places.
Grace started her career in fashion as a planner at the department store Mervyn’s and quickly climbed the ranks in the industry, eventually landing an executive role at BCBG. Along the way, she realized there was a big gap in the market for denim designed for women that was stylish, functional, and accessible. She left her corporate career and launched Pistola in 2013 to fill that void. Over a decade later, Pistola is now an eight-figure business with a growing direct-to-consumer channel and has placement in top retailers like Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, and Shopbop.
In this episode, Grace shares her journey growing up with immigrant parents, the valuable lessons she learned, and how early career rejections led her to pursue a job in the fashion industry. We discuss how she ideated the concept for Pistola and the key factors that fueled its year-over-year growth since they launched. Grace also reflects on the brand’s hypergrowth during the pandemic and the many challenges that came with it. Throughout the conversation, she emphasizes the importance of self-care in sustaining the life of a founder and mother of three, as well as the leadership skills needed to manage a growing team. We also chat about how to build an authentic brand, what people get wrong in entrepreneurship, the importance of community when building your business, and so much more.
In this episode, we’ll talk to Grace about:
* Grace’s upbringing and early fascination with fashion. [03:07]
* Career path: from finance to fashion. [07:07]
* How early career experiences shaped Grace’s entrepreneurial mindset. [10:52]
* The first steps in building her brand. [17:47]
* Taking the leap and going all-in with Pistola. [21:09]
* Building self-confidence in the early stage of business. [23:42]
#284: Anastasia Beverly Hills Founder Shares How Her Immigrant Hustle, Clear Vision & Confidence Helped Her Create a Billion Dollar Eyebrow Empire
Season 2 · Episode 284
Monday, August 12, 2024 • Duration 54:09
In this week’s episode, we’re re-airing one of our top episodes from last year with Anastasia Soare. Anastasia is an iconic beauty mogul, eyebrow queen, and founder/CEO of Anastasia Beverly Hills.
From moving to the US from Romania without speaking any English with minimal financial means to founding one of the fastest-growing brands in the beauty industry, Anastasia’s story is nothing short of incredible. Her brow-shaping technique, known as the Golden Ratio, placed her ahead of the curve, leading to what is now a celebrity favorite, a beloved product line, and billion dollar empire.
Anastasia created a new category for brows in service, pushing through multiple instances of people not believing in her or her vision. Her path has been anything but easy, and today’s conversation is an honest look at what it took to build her empire over the past 25-years.
Anastasia’s work has graced the faces of Jennifer Lopez, Kim Kardashian, Oprah Winfrey and Victoria Beckham, to name a few, and her brand has more than 20 million followers across Instagram, Twitter and TikTok.
In this episode, Anastasia shares her story of courage and confidence, leaving the safety of working for other people to pursue her dreams and create a new category for eyebrows. Anastasia believes that failure is a necessary stop on the road to success and gets real about the mistakes she’s made along the way. Her path has not been easy and we get a real behind the scenes look in her journey building her business to the cult-following brand it is today, and how with confidence and self-belief, anyone can realize their biggest passions and dreams.
In this episode, we’ll talk to Anastasia about:
* Anastasia’s upbringing and her female role models. [03:12]
* Leaving Romania in search of a better life for herself and her family. [04:58]
* Her first job in the US before becoming the Eyebrow Queen. [08:12]
* Developing the Golden Ratio for eyebrows based on the fine art principle. [11:12]
#194: How This Unlikely Entrepreneur Went From Corporate to Founding a Billion-Dollar Business with Carolyn Childers, Co-Founder, Chief
Season 2 · Episode 194
Monday, August 14, 2023 • Duration 57:09
Carolyn Childers is the CEO and co-founder of Chief, a revolutionary private membership network designed to uplift, empower and connect women executives. Chief has since achieved unicorn status, holding members in over 77% of Fortune 100 companies with a $1.1 billion valuation.
Although Carolyn never originally set out to become an entrepreneur, her journey from investment banking to strategic and business development positions at companies like Victoria's Secret, Avon Products, and eventually her role as SVP of Operations at Handy led her to a problem she wanted to solve: supporting women executives. She teamed up with her co-founder Lindsay and together they were committed to building a private platform with community groups, member meetups, flagship clubhouse access, and most importantly, a powerful, vetted community.
It’s said best by Carolyn herself, “It gets lonely at the top,” but for women, it gets lonely a lot earlier.” Today, Chief holds a wait list of tens of thousands of women and continues to empower women at all stages through its educational blog, podcast, and annual impact fund for female-focused causes. It’s clear investing in women pays off.
In our episode, Carolyn shares her unique journey to entrepreneurship, how she evaluated the risks when leaving her stable job that she was doing well in, and the many myths we all have around entrepreneurship. She also shares how she built momentum early in the business, how she dealt with rejections from many investors, and the importance of having a laser focus on community and building the best experiences. Carolyn also provides her insights on finding co-founders and important aspects to consider, how she's tackled perfectionism, imposter syndrome, and so much more.
In this episode, we’ll talk to Carolyn about:
* Myths about women in entrepreneurship. [03:26]
* Journey from investment banking to entrepreneurship. [06:72]
* Running operations at Handy, and how the idea for Chief came about. [18:27]
#193: Is This Normal? Understanding Sex, Hormones, Periods & Everything Else You’ve Wanted to Know About Your Body with Dr. Jolene Brighten
Season 2 · Episode 193
Wednesday, August 9, 2023 • Duration 01:09:21
Have you ever wondered if your bedroom experience is normal? We sat down with naturopathic endocrinologist and clinical sexologist, Dr. Jolene Brighten. She helps us not only get the facts straight, but also bust through shame so many of us have around this topic. She’s basically the sex-ed teacher we wish we had when we were younger, so get your notepad ready…
In this episode you’ll learn:
* How to leverage your hormones for better sex
* The truth about orgasms for women
* Why you might have pain during sex
* If you can get pregnant while on your period
* What to consider before taking birth control
* The best ways to prevent unwanted pregnancy
* And more…
Dr. Jolene Brighten is a board certified naturopathic endocrinologist, clinical sexologist, and the founder of Rubus Health, a women’s medical clinic with emphasis in endocrine health (hormones). She is recognized as a leading expert in women's health. Dr. Brighten is the best-selling author of Beyond the Pill and Healing Your Body Naturally After Childbirth: The New Mom’s Guide to Navigating the Fourth Trimester. She is also an international speaker and a member of the MindBodyGreen Collective. Her work has been featured in the New York Post, Forbes, Cosmopolitan, Huffington Post, Bustle, The Guardian and ABC News. When she’s not educating the world on female reproductive health, she can be found cooking, hiking, gardening, or snorkeling with her family.
This episode is brought to you by Beeya:
* If you or anyone you know have been struggling with hormonal imbalances and bad periods, go to https://beeyawellness.com/free to download the free guide to tackling hormonal imbalances and to learn more about Beeya’s seed cycling bundle.
#192: ILIA Beauty Founder on Making Bold Moves, Listening to Your Intuition & Stepping Into Your Power - Sasha Plavsic
Season 2 · Episode 192
Monday, August 7, 2023 • Duration 01:03:48
Sasha Plavsic is the founder of ILIA Beauty, a natural skin-centric makeup and skincare brand that paved the way for the “clean-beauty” space as we know it today.
Throughout her life, Sasha noticed that some of her beauty products irritated her skin. Her mother, who was also dealing with her own health challenges, encouraged Sasha to look into the ingredients behind her favorite makeup, leading her to notice a real gap in the industry for efficacious makeup that supports healthy skin. This motivated Sasha to build from the ground up out of her parent’s garage and bootstrapping the venture herself. ILIA has now expanded to many different product lines & has award-winning skincare products, mascara, lipsticks, and more. The company has seen incredible growth and last year, was sold to the private investment fund of the Courtin-Clarins family.
In our episode, Sasha shares how she went from dreaming of becoming an architect to diving into graphic design, even dropping out of college, crossing borders, and finally discovering her true path. She candidly shares her 'aha' moment in her 30s – the catalyst that pushed her to leave behind her old life, get out of a long-term relationship, travel, and create the space for freedom that she always wanted. Sasha shares how she got ILIA off the ground with no background in makeup and the importance of sharing ideas to bring them to life. She also talks about how she started the business with very little money, the exact steps she took to take ILIA to the next level and the importance of listening to her gut and not growing too fast.
In this episode, we’ll talk to Sasha about:
* Sasha's dream of becoming an architect and college decisions. [09:01]
* Parents' reaction to Sasha's education and exploration. [16:36]
* Ending a relationship, leaving town, and traveling the world. [23:03]
* Honoring life's biggest value, freedom.[25:51]
* Supporting her mother's health, and starting ILIA. [30:29]
* Sasha's side hustles and entrepreneurial ideas. [32:37]
#191: Reverse Aging, Live Longer & Create a Younger You with Dr. Kara Fitzgerald
Season 2 · Episode 191
Wednesday, August 2, 2023 • Duration 55:32
Have you ever wished you could age in reverse? Turns out, you actually can—and today’s guest has the science to back it up. Join us as we dive into the world of epigenetics (meaning, “above” genetics) and discover lifestyle practices to reverse biological age.
In this episode you’ll learn:
* How to influence your gene expression
* The power of food and epinutrients
* How stress impacts the aging process
* The impact of exercise and how to move more
* How seed cycling can support healthy aging
* Considerations if you’re planning to conceive
Kara Fitzgerald, ND, IFMCP, is engaged in ongoing clinical research on DNA methylation using diet and lifestyle interventions. She is the author of Younger You: Reduce Your Bio Age and Live Longer, Better, a ground-breaking work detailing her original 8-week study that resulted in a 3-year reversal of biological aging, and the step-by-step program that can help others achieve those results. Her follow up research has yielded even better outcomes: a 4.6-year average biological age reversal. She also has a Younger You companion cookbook, Better Broths and Healing Tonics.
Dr. Fitzgerald is on faculty at the Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM), and is an IFM Certified Practitioner. She regularly lectures internationally and hosts the podcast New Frontiers in Functional Medicine. She received her doctorate in naturopathic medicine from the National University of Natural Medicine in Oregon and is in private practice in Sandy Hook, Connecticut.
This episode is brought to you by Beeya:
* If you or anyone you know have been struggling with hormonal imbalances and bad periods, go to https://beeyawellness.com/free to download the free guide to tackling hormonal imbalances and to learn more about Beeya’s seed cycling bundle.
#190: How To Start Manifesting & Designing Your Dream Life with Mimi Ikonn, Serial Entrepreneur
Season 2 · Episode 190
Monday, July 31, 2023 • Duration 01:02:23
Mimi Ikonn is a serial entrepreneur known for founding Luxy Hair, a DTC hair extension brand, and Intelligent Change, a lifestyle brand promoting mindfulness and gratitude through consumer products. Her inspiring self-made story began with her immigration from Azerbaijan to Canada as a teenager.
Taking on the responsibility of financially supporting her family from a young age, Mimi dropped out of college, worked in banking, and took significant risks to pursue her passions and achieve financial independence, with her husband and business partner, Alex Ikonn, by her side.
Luxy Hair achieved impressive success, reaching 250,000+ customers in 165+ countries before being acquired by Beauty Industry Group. Currently, Mimi and Alex focus on Intelligent Change, selling over 1,700,000+ copies of their flagship product, The Five Minute Journal.
In our interview, Mim shares her captivating life story, from being a college dropout to discovering her passions and starting Luxy Hair with limited resources and industry connections. Her positive energy shines as she discusses overcoming hardships and depression, offering valuable tips for manifesting the life you desire, and promoting meaningful change in both personal and professional spheres.
In this episode, we’ll talk to Mimi about:
* Mimi's humble beginnings in Baku, Azerbaijan. [03:20]
* Mimi's immigration journey to Canada, financially supporting her family at 16. [11:39]
* Not going to college, working in a bank, and meeting her future husband. [17:08]
* The 4-Hour Workweek" impact on Mimi and Alex's life and business vision. [25:29]
* The inspiration behind their first business, Luxy Hair. [27:18]
* "The Body Keeps the Score" influence on Mimi's life and traumas [34:35]
* Manifesting life and practicing gratitude, Tony Robbins' program. [41:35]
#189: How to Support Your Body During Perimenopause & What Women Need to Know About Alcohol, Caffeine and Melatonin with Dr. Deanna Minich
Season 2 · Episode 189
Wednesday, July 26, 2023 • Duration 01:01:34
Anyone who menstruates will navigate a range of hormonal shifts throughout their life. Today, we’re focusing on the transition between our reproductive years and menopause–otherwise known as perimenopause. If you don’t think this applies to you yet, we urge you to reconsider as we’ve learned how nourishment in our early years can be hugely supportive as our bodies shift throughout our entire lives.
In this episode you’ll learn:
* What leads to early perimenopause
* How to deal with HOT FLASHES when you’ve tried everything
* What women need to know about ALCOHOL and CAFFEINE
* How and why to get more diversity in your diet
* The best COLOR to eat for hormone health
* The truth about supplementing with melatonin
* And more…
Deanna Minich, MS, PhD, CNS, Certified Functional Medicine Practitioner (IFMCP), is a nutrition scientist, international lecturer, teacher, and author, with over twenty years of experience in academia and in the food and dietary supplement industries.
Throughout the years, she has been active as a functional medicine clinician in clinical trials and in her own practice (Food & Spirit™), which has now become oriented towards groups, workshops, and retreats. She is the author of six consumer books on wellness topics, four book chapters, and fifty scientific publications. Her academic background is in nutrition science, including a Master of Science (M.S.) degree in Human Nutrition and Dietetics from the University of Illinois at Chicago (1995) and a Doctorate (Ph.D.) in Medical Sciences (nutrition focus) from the University of Groningen in the Netherlands (1999). For a decade, she was part of the research team led by the “father of Functional Medicine,” Dr. Jeffrey Bland, and has served on the Nutrition Advisory Board for The Institute of Functional Medicine, as well as on the Board of Directors for the American Nutrition Association.
#188: Letting Go of the Life You Planned & Stepping Into the Life You Dreamed with Annie Lawless, Founder of Lawless
Season 2 · Episode 188
Monday, July 24, 2023 • Duration 01:03:03
Annie Lawless is a serial entrepreneur known for co-founding Suja Juice and, more recently, Lawless Beauty, a clean beauty brand. Throughout her ventures, Annie has consistently prioritized natural, clean ingredients stemming from her personal experience with autoimmune diseases.
Driven by her passion for nutrition and overall health, Annie co-founded Suja Juice, which grew into one of the largest organic cold-pressed juice companies. Eventually, they sold a minority stake to Coca-Cola and, in 2021, the company was acquired by a private equity firm.
After leaving Suja Juice, Annie's health conditions led her to search for clean beauty products only to find that what was available simply did not provide the full-pigmentation, long-lasting performance she was looking for. Inspired by this gap in the market and the community feedback on her beauty blog BLAWNDE, Annie created Lawless Beauty—a makeup brand that is both high-performing and cruelty-free.
In the episode, Annie discusses pivotal moments in her journey, leaving law school, teaching yoga, and starting her first business. She shares insights into Suja Juice's growth and emphasizes the importance of following passions aligned with purpose. Annie reminds us to focus on joy, nurture our passions, and stay true to our unique paths.
In this episode, we’ll talk to Annie about:
* Self-understanding, philosophy, and finding purpose. [05:57]
* Overcoming anxiety, leaving law school. [15:13]
* From yoga teaching to first business venture. [17:24]
* Suja Juice: Fun passion project turned business. [22:58]
* Pivotal moments for Suja Juice's success. [26:58]
* Challenges faced in running a family business. [27:26]
* How to market & create brand authenticity. [32:45]
* Transitioning from wholesale to direct-to-consumer. [35:21]
* Navigating hypergrowth during the pandemic. [37:55]
* The importance of self-care. [42:01]
* Key entrepreneurial lesson: nothing in life is perfect. [49:45]
* Pistola's spotlight: Greta Gerwig wearing the pink jumpsuit on the Barbie set. [52:22]
* Lessons learned in leadership and resilience. [55:05]
* Future plans for Pistola. [59:49]
This episode is brought to you by Beeya:
* If you or anyone you know have been struggling with hormonal imbalances and bad periods, go to https://beeyawellness.com/free to download the free guide to tackling hormonal imbalances and to learn more about Beeya’s seed cycling bundle.
* Plus, get $10 off your order by using promo code BEHINDHEREMPIRE10
* Carolyn's financial planning for startup risk. [25:03]
* Carolyn's alignment with co-founder Lindsey. [28:00]
* Building the early momentum and raising capital. [32:50]
* Pushing Chief through word of mouth and organic channels. [36:30]
* Prioritizing essentials and community engagement. [41:52]
* Navigating entrepreneurship pressure. [41:52]
* Chief's focus and beneficiaries. [55:15]
This episode is brought to you by Beeya:
* If you or anyone you know have been struggling with hormonal imbalances and bad periods, go to https://beeyawellness.com/free to download the free guide to tackling hormonal imbalances and to learn more about Beeya’s seed cycling bundle.
* Plus, get $10 off your order by using promo code BEHINDHEREMPIRE10
* Working at Saje, self-funding, and dad's support/advice.[40:03]
* How Sasha launched the first product with very little money. [43:10]
* Managing and overcoming big transitions in her life: Getting married, getting pregnant, and losing her dad to cancer. [47:02]
* Turning down Sephora and potential business partnership. [54:12]
* Being present with her kids, valuing her own time, and setting boundaries in life. [01:00:52]
This episode is brought to you by Beeya:
* If you or anyone you know have been struggling with hormonal imbalances and bad periods, go to https://beeyawellness.com/free to download the free guide to tackling hormonal imbalances
* Plus, get $10 off your order by using promo code BEHINDHEREMPIRE10
* Selling Luxy Hair and creating the 5-Minute Journal by Intelligent Change. [48:39]
* Mimi's passion projects and her sustainability advocacy. [54:49]
This episode is brought to you by Beeya:
* If you or anyone you know have been struggling with hormonal imbalances and bad periods, go to https://beeyawellness.com/free to download the free guide to tackling hormonal imbalances and to learn more about Beeya’s seed cycling bundle.
* Plus, get $10 off your order by using promo code BEHINDHEREMPIRE10
She is Chief Science Officer at Symphony Natural Health, where she leads the medical advisory team, oversees scientific communication, and provides educational leadership for the company’s plant-derived nutraceuticals. She is passionate about helping others to live well using therapeutic lifestyle changes that impact their physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual health.
This episode is brought to you by Beeya:
* If you or anyone you know have been struggling with hormonal imbalances and bad periods, go to https://beeyawellness.com/free to download the free guide to tackling hormonal imbalances and to learn more about Beeya’s seed cycling bundle.
* Plus, get $10 off your order by using promo code BEHINDHEREMPIRE10.
* Embracing the unknown and creating a better life. [58:36]
This episode is brought to you by Beeya:
* If you or anyone you know have been struggling with hormonal imbalances and bad periods, go to https://beeyawellness.com/free to download the free guide to tackling hormonal imbalances and to learn more about Beeya’s seed cycling bundle.
* Plus, get $10 off your order by using promo code BEHINDHEREMPIRE10.
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