The Goal Digger Podcast | Top Business and Marketing Podcast for Creatives, Entrepreneurs, and Women in Business 923: The Lean-In Circle That Changed Everything (And How to Start Your Own)
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Oct 20, 2025 Bianca Gates, founder of Birdies and former Facebook executive, dives into building a community-first brand. She highlights the importance of authenticity and sharing early to spur growth. Bianca shares insights from her monthly lean-in circles, revealing how they helped her navigate decisions. She discusses her 'aha' moment for creating stylish, comfy footwear and explains how customer feedback shaped her product line. With a focus on genuine connections, she encourages listeners to craft messaging for real people and to embrace resilience in entrepreneurship.
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Authenticity Is Table Stakes
- Authentic community grows organically and cannot be built from a slide deck or timeline.
- Real community begins one person at a time and spreads virally when people truly believe in it.
A Circle That Lasted 13 Years
- Bianca started a monthly Lean In circle in 2013 after Sheryl Sandberg invited her to similar dinners.
- That original circle still meets monthly 13 years later and shaped her decisions and Birdies' origin.
Run Structured Local Circles
- Limit circles to 6–10 members, meet in person, and set strict attendance and punctuality rules to keep them accountable.
- Use a moderator, timekeeper, and focus only on the top and bottom 5% of updates to keep conversations deep.
