
Startups in Stilettos
Have you recently started a business, or are you considering taking the leap to start? Do you find yourself alone or overwhelmed in the whirlwind of early challenges in your Entreprenista journey? Well, you’re in the right place - Startups in Stilettos is for you. Learn what it takes to grow your startup, from your peers in the startup world, and those who are in your shoes (or stilettos, if you will)
We’re meeting you where you are to get you through your biggest challenges and toward your biggest goals. From the team behind the Entreprenista podcast, tune in to Startups in Stilettos as you take steps to build your startup from the ground up.
So what can you expect from Startups in Stilettos? Each week, we’ll interview a startup founder in our community to uncover their early challenges, learn from the solutions they’ve found, make new connections, and strategize for the future growth of their business. You’ll walk away with practical tips and resources to help you along your journey and a new community member to connect with through the Entreprenista League!
Latest episodes

May 30, 2023 • 19min
Scaling Strategies to Elevate Your Business with Carlyn Bushman
For new businesses or even businesses simply looking to expand, understanding the importance and benefits of setting a foundation that supports uninhibited growth is key. Carlyn’s experience in manifesting success in this area comes directly through creating businesses of her own from the ground up. Through this work, she often gets questions like: How do I scale my business to the next level? How do I set the stage for a greater level of growth within my company? In today’s special solo episode, Carlyn Bushman of Carlyn Bushman Consulting, takes us through her three key strategies for how to successfully scale your business to a level that works for you. After breaking down each secret for us, she goes on to share an essential exercise for implementing these tactics. Carlyn speaks on how these strategies have helped her while inspiring us to continue toward expanding in our evolution and beautifully weaving joy into the process. “Your business is you. People buy from people. We've heard that so many times. So as the leader of your business when you are thinking about scaling, do only what you can do.” - Carlyn BushmanThis week on Startups in Stilettos:
Carlyn shares the first key strategy: time blocking (2:15)
Carlyn talks about how owning your calendar leads to the second key: CEO time (3:39)
Carlyn explains the third and final key: delegation (6:41)
Carlyn walks us through The Delegation Exercise (9:55)
Carlyn speaks on how she personally uses the exercise (13:45)
Carlyn provides a review of her three key strategies for scaling a business (15:12)
Our Favorite Quotes:
“So I would begin by designating a time on your calendar where you feel that you are at your absolute best. And don't think that you have to take it all at one time, you can block out CEO time, for 30 minutes, give yourself the luxury of just starting with 30 minutes.” - Carlyn Bushman
“There's actually a lot less fun in doing this alone. It is so much more interesting when you can surround yourself with beautiful humans who are excited to contribute to your business. Don't take that away from them.” - Carlyn Bushman
“When I say that there's also shiny object syndrome. And I am saying I can come up with lots of ideas. And I think I need to implement them all right now. Absolutely right now today because if I don't somebody else will, that's not actually the case, we can give them a home. So ‘No One Really Needs To Do It’ could also be a great home for you to asterisk those beautiful ideas and say, ‘You know what, we're going to look at that in Q2 of 2024. We're just gonna give that a little home right now.’ And that's okay, too.” - Carlyn Bushman
“Embrace the progress over perfection.” - Carlyn Bushman
Join the Entreprenista League today at entreprenista.com/join. We can’t wait to welcome you, support you, and be part of your business journey!Connect with your Startups in Stilettos hosts:
Jessica Abo on Instagram
Jessica Abo on LinkedIn
Learn more about Jessica Abo here
Carlyn Bushman on Instagram
Carlyn Bushman on LinkedIn
Learn more about Carlyn Bushman here
Get Featured on Startups in StilettosWant a chance to be featured on Startups in Stilettos? We’re currently accepting applications from our Entreprenista League members to be featured on the show! Think of the Entreprenista League as your team members in what can be a lonely startup founder’s journey. You’ll have access to a private community of like-minded female startup founders who are making an impact in business every day, special discounts on business products and solutions, exclusive content, private events, the opportunity to have your story featured on our website, social channels – and, of course, the Startups in Stilettos podcast – and so much MORE!

May 23, 2023 • 25min
Tapping Into The Creativity with Catalina Escallon of Noodo
While Catalina Escallon is an artist, and by definition, a creative person, she realized that a lot of people did not view themselves that way as they got older. So she and her partner decided to start a studio that helps people realize that there are many ways to be creative. In today’s episode, we sit down with Catalina Escallon, the co-founder of Noodo, a studio that empowers creative moments through fun interactive workshops and activities that they offer to individuals, teams, and companies. She shares the mission behind Noodo, where the idea came from, her thoughts on creativity, and so much more. “We believe that everyone is creative. And it's something that we like to empower people to think about themselves that way.” - Catalina EscallonThis week on Startups in Stilettos:
Catalina talks about Noodo’s mission (1:48)
Catalina shares about a client that had an aha moment with her (4:22)
Catalina explains where the idea for Noodo came from (7:45)
Catalina gives an example of questions she would ask clients (9:55)
Catalina shares her thoughts on creativity (12:56)
Carlyn and Jess talk about networking groups (18:45)
Resources Mentioned:
Google Sheets
Google Slides
Google Docs
Miro
QuickBooks
Asana
Our Favorite Quotes:
“We've been doing most of these online. So it's even colder interaction at the beginning. And then you have these two Colombians that are like, our energy comes across in all of this. And that's what helped us along with the activities to kind of break the ice and get people flowing with us.” - Catalina Escallon
“When I started to embroider people, and my friends would say, like, ‘Oh, I wish I could do what you do.’ And I was like, ‘you can totally do it.’ It's just like, remember, when we see artists or people doing a lot of powerful and beautiful things, they've been doing this for years. So anything you do, you need to keep doing it.” - Catalina Escallon
“I do want people to feel that creative is not a word exclusive to us working in those industries. But it's something that we all have, and we all need to exercise.” - Catalina Escallon
Join the Entreprenista League today at entreprenista.com/join. We can’t wait to welcome you, support you, and be part of your business journey!Connect with Catalina Escallon:
NoodoStudio.com
Noodo on Instagram
CatalinaEscallon.com
Catalina Escallon on Instagram
Connect with your Startups in Stilettos hosts:
Jessica Abo on Instagram
Jessica Abo on LinkedIn
Learn more about Jessica Abo here
Carlyn Bushman on Instagram
Carlyn Bushman on LinkedIn
Learn more about Carlyn Bushman here
Get Featured on Startups in StilettosWant a chance to be featured on Startups in Stilettos? We’re currently accepting applications from our Entreprenista League members to be featured on the show! Think of the Entreprenista League as your team members in what can be a lonely startup founder’s journey. You’ll have access to a private community of like-minded female startup founders who are making an impact in business every day, special discounts on business products and solutions, exclusive content, private events, the opportunity to have your story featured on our website, social channels – and, of course, the Startups in Stilettos podcast – and so much MORE!Grow Your Startup with Startups in StilettosThanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Startups in Stilettos, powered by the Entreprenista PodcastNetwork. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts.

May 16, 2023 • 34min
Learning The Heart and Soul of SEO with Meg Clarke of Clapping Dog Media
Like many Entreprenistas, Meg left the corporate world once she had kids and started to work on her own. She had experience with web design, so that’s what she did, before she realized that having the perfect website is meaningless if no one finds it. So she dug in and learned everything there was to know about SEO and now she helps other business owners create websites that convert. In today’s episode, we sit down with Meg Clarke, founder of Clapping Dog Media, a digital media company that provides done-for-you and done-with-you SEO Services. She shares why SEO is important, the most important analytics in SEO, her thoughts on AI, and so much more. “So I dove into analytics and SEO and trying to figure out how in the world people get traffic to their website and traffic that's not spambots and not random people. It's like traffic that really converts. And so I dove into that and really enjoyed it, I also realized there was not a lot of other women doing it.” - Meg ClarkeThis week on Startups in Stilettos:
Meg explains why SEO is important (2:03)
Meg shares her opinion on press releases for SEO (6:49)
Meg talks about the most important analytics for SEO (10:42)
Meg shares where the name Clapping Dog came from (14:53)
Meg explains the best thing to do for SEO today (20:48)
Meg’s thoughts on AI (21:41)
Meg explains how Clapping Dog Media operates (27:14)
Resources Mentioned:NotionOur Favorite Quotes:
“They're [Google] trying to get paid. And so because they're trying to get paid, we know that they are really looking for value, and spam links and pure engagement are all things that they look at.” - Meg Clarke
“Organic traffic is the heart and soul of SEO.” - Meg Clarke
“Stella, my dog at the time would get up and she would, I taught her to kind of, like, wag her tail and celebrate with me. So she felt like a co worker.” - Meg Clarke
Join the Entreprenista League today at entreprenista.com/join. We can’t wait to welcome you, support you, and be part of your business journey!Connect with Meg Clarke:
ClappingDogMedia.com
Clapping Dog Media on Instagram
Clapping Dog Media on LinkedIn
Connect with your Startups in Stilettos hosts:
Jessica Abo on Instagram
Jessica Abo on LinkedIn
Learn more about Jessica Abo here
Carlyn Bushman on Instagram
Carlyn Bushman on LinkedIn
Learn more about Carlyn Bushman here
Get Featured on Startups in StilettosWant a chance to be featured on Startups in Stilettos? We’re currently accepting applications from our Entreprenista League members to be featured on the show! Think of the Entreprenista League as your team members in what can be a lonely startup founder’s journey. You’ll have access to a private community of like-minded female startup founders who are making an impact in business every day, special discounts on business products and solutions, exclusive content, private events, the opportunity to have your story featured on our website, social channels – and, of course, the Startups in Stilettos podcast – and so much MORE!Grow Your Startup with Startups in StilettosThanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Startups in Stilettos, powered by the Entreprenista PodcastNetwork. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts.Apple Podcasts|TuneIn|GooglePlay|Stitcher|Spotify|iHeart Radio

May 9, 2023 • 26min
How To Create The Best Brand Message For Your Business with Xindi Soh of By Xindi
Over the course of her business, Xindi has had to confront herself and get a grasp on who she is, what she stands for, and what she wants. But the ride hasn’t always been what she was expecting. Now she preaches leaning into the hard stuff and believing in yourself, and it seems to be working out well for her. In today’s episode, we sit down with Xindi Soh, founder and CEO of By Xindi, a studio offering a complete brand messaging and marketing transformation. She shares advice on creating a brand message, advice for new CEOs, her thoughts on social media and marketing, and so much more. “I feel like that makes a huge difference when you approach marketing from a place where you truly want to express what you are passionate about, rather than saying something for the sake of selling. - Xindi SohThis week on Startups in Stilettos:
Xindi explains what a brand message is and gives advice on how to find your brand message (2:31)
Xindi shares what she didn’t know before going into business (7:17)
Xindi gives advice to new CEOs (9:08)
Xindi talks about her biggest wins (10:51)
Xindi weighs in on social media and its impact on marketing (15:46)
Jess shares the relatable moment that has her bummed (18:14)
Resources Mentioned:
Notion
Canva
Our Favorite Quotes:
“I feel like your brand message will evolve with you as a business owner, as well, like as humans, we're constantly growing.” - Xindi Soh
“I think you are your biggest asset, for sure.” - Xindi Soh
“But when you said the part about not wanting to navigate, that is where I would say to lean into that, navigate that more, discover that more, because whatever you're avoiding is ultimately what's gonna, like, help you hit the next level with what's going to help you break through.” - Xindi Soh
Join the Entreprenista League today at entreprenista.com/join. We can’t wait to welcome you, support you, and be part of your business journey!Connect with Xindi Soh:
ByXindi.com
Xindi Soh on Instagram
Connect with your Startups in Stilettos hosts:
Jessica Abo on Instagram
Jessica Abo on LinkedIn
Learn more about Jessica Abo here
Carlyn Bushman on Instagram
Carlyn Bushman on LinkedIn
Learn more about Carlyn Bushman here
Get Featured on Startups in StilettosWant a chance to be featured on Startups in Stilettos? We’re currently accepting applications from our Entreprenista League members to be featured on the show! Think of the Entreprenista League as your team members in what can be a lonely startup founder’s journey. You’ll have access to a private community of like-minded female startup founders who are making an impact in business every day, special discounts on business products and solutions, exclusive content, private events, the opportunity to have your story featured on our website, social channels – and, of course, the Startups in Stilettos podcast – and so much MORE!Grow Your Startup with Startups in StilettosThanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Startups in Stilettos, powered by the Entreprenista PodcastNetwork. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts.Apple Podcasts|TuneIn|GooglePlay|Stitcher|Spotify|iHeart RadioBe sure to share your favorite episodes on social media to help us reach more startup founders, like you, and have a chance to win a one-on-one mentor and strategy session with Stephanie Cartin.

May 2, 2023 • 29min
Digitizing Art For A Business with Sally King McBride of The Letter Nest
When Sally’s friends and family started having children, she looked for gifts that would be meaningful and lasting. As an artist, she decided to create watercolor name paintings. Soon, the commissions started flooding in and she had a proof of concept for a business. In today’s episode, we sit down with Sally King McBride, founder of The Letter Nest, a brand of educational and elevated alphabet art. She shares her biggest wins, how her parents fostered her abilities, the mission behind The Letter Nest, and so much more. “My parents always treated my artwork very seriously. And as an academic course for much of my schooling, and it was never thought of as ‘Oh, that's her side hustle,’ or, ‘Oh, that's her hobby.’ I can't stand that word. This was always my occupation. I treated it that way. And so do they.” - Sally King McBrideThis week on Startups in Stilettos:
Sally tells us what she didn’t know before launching her business (3:09)
Sally shares her biggest wins (5:11)
Sally discusses how she knew to go full-time with the Letter Nest (7:30)
Sally shares what her parents did to set her on the Entreprenista path (12:10)
Sally goes in-depth about the interpersonal skills she has learned (15:29)
Sally discusses the mission behind her business (17:27)
Sally shares where she gets her inspiration from (20:11)
Jess talks about how much free content to give away to your audience (23:02)
Resources Mentioned:
Shopify
Klaviyo
Adobe Creative Suite
Planoly
Our Favorite Quotes:
“I took my first commission for professional painting when I was still in high school.” - Sally King McBride
“My work is as much about the teaching as it is about the joy, and they have to go hand in hand or you will not get the child's engagement.” - Sally King McBride
“There is a litmus test for whether there can be a full alphabet around something.” - Sally King McBride
Join the Entreprenista League today at entreprenista.com/join. We can’t wait to welcome you, support you, and be part of your business journey!Connect with Sally King McBride:
TheLetterNest.com
The Letter Nest on Instagram
The Letter Nest on Pinterest
The Letter Nest on TikTok
Connect with your Startups in Stilettos hosts:
Jessica Abo on Instagram
Jessica Abo on LinkedIn
Learn more about Jessica Abo here
Carlyn Bushman on Instagram
Carlyn Bushman on LinkedIn
Learn more about Carlyn Bushman here
Get Featured on Startups in StilettosWant a chance to be featured on Startups in Stilettos? We’re currently accepting applications from our Entreprenista League members to be featured on the show! Think of the Entreprenista League as your team members in what can be a lonely startup founder’s journey. You’ll have access to a private community of like-minded female startup founders who are making an impact in business every day, special discounts on business products and solutions, exclusive content, private events, the opportunity to have your story featured on our website, social channels – and, of course, the Startups in Stilettos podcast – and so much MORE!Grow Your Startup with Startups in StilettosThanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Startups in Stilettos, powered by the Entreprenista PodcastNetwork. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts.

Apr 25, 2023 • 30min
Redefining the Future of Work with Marilynn Joyner of Her Workplace
Marilynn realized after the pandemic that the standard American way of working was on the way out. Many people, women in particular, wanted to maintain the flexibility that they had become accustomed to. So she decided to take her decade of commercial real estate experience to create a community that would benefit landlords and workers alike. In today’s episode, we sit down with Marilynn Joyner, founder and CEO of Her Workplace, which is a physical and digital career community for women who are at the beginning or mid level stages of their careers to build relationships, exchange knowledge and share stories. She shares where the idea for Her Workplace came from, how she knew it was time to leave her corporate job, her thoughts on the future of work, and so much more. “I really wanted to be able to meet women and provide them with a platform that is easily accessible, not as expensive. And it's just super easy for them to tap into while having the opportunity to access a co-working space where you can meet and network with other women while getting integrated with all of our trainings, professional development tools, and all of our events.” - Marilynn JoynerThis week on Startups in Stilettos:
Marilynn shares where the idea for Her Workplace came from (2:48)
Marilynn talks about the real estate aspect of Her Workplace (5:59)
Marilynn discusses her biggest wins (9:52)
Marilynn shares when she knew it was time to leave her job (12:07)
Marilynn talks about the future of work (18:05)
Jessica and Carlyn talk about their mishaps (20:25)
Carlyn shares exciting news (25:29)
Resources Mentioned:
Notion
Pipedrive
Clickup
Our Favorite Quotes:
“It just got to the point where I was just getting frustrated with being one of the only women and seeing how many women dropped out of the workforce during the pandemic.” - Marilynn Joyner
“I think flexibility is key. Employees need flexibility. I think that the nine to five Monday through Friday in the office is gone. I think that we're moving towards a four day work week, similar to what some European countries have been testing and implementing.” - Marilynn Joyner
“I'm most proud of my education. I've been in commercial real estate for almost 10 years. I got my masters from Georgetown University in real estate to just up my game and to learn financial modeling and to learn about investments from a landlord's perspective. And then I went on to get my MBA from Columbia Business School.” - Marilynn Joyner
Join the Entreprenista League today at entreprenista.com/join. We can’t wait to welcome you, support you, and be part of your business journey!Connect with Marilynn Joyner:
HerWorkplace.com
Her Workplace on Instagram
Connect with your Startups in Stilettos hosts:
Jessica Abo on Instagram
Jessica Abo on LinkedIn
Learn more about Jessica Abo here
Carlyn Bushman on Instagram
Carlyn Bushman on LinkedIn
Learn more about Carlyn Bushman here
Get Featured on Startups in StilettosWant a chance to be featured on Startups in Stilettos? We’re currently accepting applications from our Entreprenista League members to be featured on the show! Think of the Entreprenista League as your team members in what can be a lonely startup founder’s journey. You’ll have access to a private community of like-minded female startup founders who are making an impact in business every day, special discounts on business products and solutions, exclusive content, private events, the opportunity to have your story featured on our website, social channels – and, of course, the Startups in Stilettos podcast – and so much MORE!

Apr 18, 2023 • 28min
The Power of Relationship Marketing with Digital Strategist Afton Negrea
Afton moved to Italy with her husband and realized how difficult it was to find a job when she didn’t know the language. So she decided to start freelancing to make money. After a few years, she realized her specialty was with design and strategy, so she decided to open her own business. In today’s episode, we sit down with Afton Negrea, digital strategist and designer. She shares when she knew it was time to start her business, what she is most proud of, how to launch a course, and so much more. “I like to think of myself as the Swiss Army knife for your business. It's really I'm looking at it from all different angles. But first and foremost, I'm a digital strategist. So I really like to have a strategic idea in mind for your business and where you are, where you're going and how you're going to get there.” - Afton NegreaThis week on Startups in Stilettos:
Afton shares how she combined designing and strategy into one (4:12)
Afton discusses what she had to learn in business (5:35)
Afton talks about when she knew she was going to step out on her own (9:17)
Afton shares what she is proud of (15:54)
Afton discusses how to launch a course or services (17:30)
Carlyn, Jessica, and Afton talk about pricing your services (22:27)
Resources Mentioned:
Asana
Nifty Project Management
Slack
Kajabi
Descript
Our Favorite Quotes:
“I think I've always known that I meant to do my own thing. And I've always been that person who's gone the extra mile in any job that I've done.” - Afton Negrea
“What I've tried to encourage my clients to do is take it back to the olden days, let's like, take it back to the 90s, for example, when it was the bomb.com.” - Afton Negrea
“I know this is cliche, but I am very proud of my clients when I see them when I really, really am. Because I feel like I'm birthing a baby with them and the baby is growing, you know, and I really love to see it come to life.” - Afton Negrea
Join the Entreprenista League today at entreprenista.com/join. We can’t wait to welcome you, support you, and be part of your business journey!Connect with Afton Negrea:
AftonNegrea.com
Afton Negrea on Instagram
Afton Negrea on LinkedIn
Connect with your Startups in Stilettos hosts:
Jessica Abo on Instagram
Jessica Abo on LinkedIn
Learn more about Jessica Abo here
Carlyn Bushman on Instagram
Carlyn Bushman on LinkedIn
Learn more about Carlyn Bushman here
Get Featured on Startups in StilettosWant a chance to be featured on Startups in Stilettos? We’re currently accepting applications from our Entreprenista League members to be featured on the show! Think of the Entreprenista League as your team members in what can be a lonely startup founder’s journey. You’ll have access to a private community of like-minded female startup founders who are making an impact in business every day, special discounts on business products and solutions, exclusive content, private events, the opportunity to have your story featured on our website, social channels – and, of course, the Startups in Stilettos podcast – and so much MORE!

Apr 11, 2023 • 25min
The Business of Tea with Allison Ullo of Leaves of Leisure
Ten years ago, Allison was working a grueling schedule (which she still does), and relied heavily on copious amounts of caffeine to just survive. After finding herself experiencing negative effects due to the caffeine content, she cut it out for herbal tea. She decided to open her business to share the positivity that she found through a caffeine-free lifestyle.In today’s episode, we sit down with Allison Ullo, founder of Leaves of Leisure, a luxury herbal tea brand that focuses on the ritual of tea. Allison shares with us where the idea came from to start Leaves of Leisure, how she balances her business while working full-time, her proudest moments, and so much more. “I really started to experiment and mix my own teas and sort of, like, got really into this idea of like, ‘I can cure anything or make myself feel anything based on, like, the brew of tea that I create.’ So that's really where the idea behind the brand kind of came.” - Allison UlloThis week on Startups in Stilettos:
Allison talks about the purpose and idea behind of Leaves of Leisure (1:51)
Allison shares what she didn’t know about the tea business (6:35)
Allison discusses her wins (8:45)
Allison talks about how she balances her business with working full time (10:53)
Allison shares her proudest moments (16:36)
Jessica and Carlyn shares their wins (20:04)
Resources Mentioned:
Canva
Klaviyo
Shipbob
Our Favorite Quotes:
“So I just was like, ‘I'm going to cut it out. I'm not going to drink caffeine anymore.’ And as soon as I stopped drinking it, I went through these horrific withdrawals, sweating, anxiety, jitters, like, I felt like I couldn't even function throughout the day. It was sort of like my aha moment.” - Allison Ullo
“But I think the best thing you can do for yourself is to time block and habit stack, you have to really decide how you're going to spend each hour of your day and really map it out.” - Allison Ullo
“Tea is one of those things that really is like if you're drinking it with no sugar and nothing in it, like, it's just pure benefits.” - Allison Ullo
Join the Entreprenista League today at entreprenista.com/join. We can’t wait to welcome you, support you, and be part of your business journey!Connect with Allison Ullo:
LeavesOfLeisure.com
Leaves of Leisure on Instagram
Leaves of Leisure on Facebook
Connect with your Startups in Stilettos hosts:
Jessica Abo on Instagram
Jessica Abo on LinkedIn
Learn more about Jessica Abo here
Carlyn Bushman on Instagram
Carlyn Bushman on LinkedIn
Learn more about Carlyn Bushman here
Get Featured on Startups in StilettosWant a chance to be featured on Startups in Stilettos? We’re currently accepting applications from our Entreprenista League members to be featured on the show! Think of the Entreprenista League as your team members in what can be a lonely startup founder’s journey. You’ll have access to a private community of like-minded female startup founders who are making an impact in business every day, special discounts on business products and solutions, exclusive content, private events, the opportunity to have your story featured on our website, social channels – and, of course, the Startups in Stilettos podcast – and so much MORE!Grow Your Startup with Startups in StilettosThanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Startups in Stilettos, powered by the Entreprenista PodcastNetwork. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts.Apple Podcasts|TuneIn|GooglePlay|Stitcher|Spotify|iHeart RadioBe sure to share your favorite episodes on social media to help us reach more startup founders, like you, and have a chance to win a one-on-one mentor and strategy session with Stephanie Cartin.Join us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. And for even more exclusive content and information – and to get access to the 8 Secrets to Success in Your Business video course and worksheet – visit our website.

Apr 4, 2023 • 26min
Helping NICU Families Succeed with Jodi Klaristenfeld of FLRRiSH
Jodi Klaristenfeld was introduced to the NICU world when she delivered her daughter at 28 weeks. She knew soon after she wanted to help other preemie families navigate that road a little easier, so she dug in and started a business doing just that. In today’s episode, we sit down with Jodi Klaristenfeld, founder of FLRRiSH, a company that offers coaching and support for parents of preemies. Jodi shares about how her daughter’s birth inspired her to start FLRRiSH, what she’s most proud of, the stigmas preemies face, and so much more. “I figured other people must be struggling the way I was, and still am to some extent, and I just want to make that road easier for someone than it was for myself and my husband.” - Jodi KlaristenfeldThis week on Startups in Stilettos:
Jodi shares how she came up with the idea for FLRRiSH (3:50)
Jodi talks all about her challenges and wins (5:09)
Jodi discusses what she’s most proud of (11:08)
Jodi goes in-depth about the experience of having a child in the NICU (13:17)
Jodi talks about the many stigmas around children who are born premature (17:26)
Carlyn shares her thoughts on needing a business website (21:14)
Resources Mentioned:
Google Drive
Dropbox
Our Favorite Quotes:
“What I've realized with FLRRiSH is something that my dad said is that people buy from you because they like you. They believe in you and they believe in your story. They can go and buy services from so many places. But if you're passionate and you demonstrate to people why they should buy from you, then they will.” - Jodi Klaristenfeld
“My mom said, ‘I could have told you that you were going to tell me that months ago.’ And I said to her, ‘Well, how did you know that?’ And she said, ‘I knew that the way I knew your first week from law school, you were never going to practice law. I'm your mother.’” - Jodi Klaristenfeld
“My OB told me that on, I think, day four, he's like ‘Jodi, show up for yourself, process what's going on, because you don't even know the half of it. And once you do that, you can be there for your daughter.’” - Jodi Klaristenfeld
Join the Entreprenista League today at entreprenista.com/join. We can’t wait to welcome you, support you, and be part of your business journey!Connect with Jodi Klaristenfeld:
FLRRiSH on Instagram
FLRRiSH.com
Jodi Klaristenfeld on LinkedIn
Connect with your Startups in Stilettos hosts:
Jessica Abo on Instagram
Jessica Abo on LinkedIn
Learn more about Jessica Abo here
Carlyn Bushman on Instagram
Carlyn Bushman on LinkedIn
Learn more about Carlyn Bushman here
Get Featured on Startups in StilettosWant a chance to be featured on Startups in Stilettos? We’re currently accepting applications from our Entreprenista League members to be featured on the show! Think of the Entreprenista League as your team members in what can be a lonely startup founder’s journey. You’ll have access to a private community of like-minded female startup founders who are making an impact in business every day, special discounts on business products and solutions, exclusive content, private events, the opportunity to have your story featured on our website, social channels – and, of course, the Startups in Stilettos podcast – and so much MORE!Grow Your Startup with Startups in StilettosThanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Startups in Stilettos, powered by the Entreprenista PodcastNetwork. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts.Apple Podcasts|TuneIn|GooglePlay|Stitcher|Spotify|iHeart RadioBe sure to share your favorite episodes on social media to help us reach more startup founders, like you, and have a chance to win a one-on-one mentor and strategy session with Stephanie Cartin.Join us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. And for even more exclusive content and information – and to get access to the 8 Secrets to Success in Your Business video course and worksheet – visit our website.

Mar 28, 2023 • 27min
Leaving the White House with Ronica Cleary of Cleary Strategies
Ronica had made it to the mecca of her industry––becoming a White House correspondent. But during her second pregnancy, she realized she wanted to prioritize her family, so she decided to start her own PR business. In today’s episode, we sit down with Ronica Cleary, founder and CEO of Cleary Strategies, an agency that provides public relations, media placements, and crisis management to leaders and corporations. She shares why she left TV to start her business, the things she has learned, what hiring her for PR would look like for her clients, and so much more. “We help them [clients] earn media placements in television, radio, print, digital and podcast. But I do like to say our specialty and the thing we do most often for our clients that really differentiates us from other PR agencies is our ability to secure TV placements for our clients.” - Ronica ClearyThis week on Startups in Stilettos:
Ronica details what Cleary Strategies does (2:23)
Ronica shares why she left TV to start her business (3:21)
Ronica talks about the things she has learned (6:37)
Ronica discusses when she knew it was time to leave her job to start Cleary Strategies (11:23)
Ronica explains what PR looks like for her and her clients (15:00)
Ronica shares her win for the week (21:49)
Our Favorite Quotes:
“I had some really great advice from a former producer of mine, who said, you know, ‘you made it to the White House, you've made it to cover the White House in about five to eight years of television reporting and politics.’ You know, he said, ‘You did it. Some people it takes a lifetime. So it just feels like the time that you can check that off your list and start something new and creative that fulfills you.’” - Ronica Cleary
“I say motherhood––having three children––and running a business. Both are not for the faint of heart.” - Ronica Cleary
“You can't really be a White House correspondent and run like a PR agency on the side.” - Ronica Cleary
Connect with Ronica Cleary:
Ronica on Instagram
Ronica on LinkedIn
Ronica on Twitter
ClearyStrategies.com
Connect with your Startups in Stilettos hosts:
Carlyn Bushman on Instagram
Carlyn Bushman on LinkedIn
Learn more about Carlyn Bushman here
Jessica Abo on Instagram
Jessica Abo on LinkedIn
Learn more about Jessica Abo here
Get Featured on Startups in StilettosWant a chance to be featured on Startups in Stilettos? We’re currently accepting applications from our Entreprenista League members to be featured on the show! Think of the Entreprenista League as your team members in what can be a lonely startup founder’s journey. You’ll have access to a private community of like-minded female startup founders who are making an impact in business every day, special discounts on business products and solutions, exclusive content, private events, the opportunity to have your story featured on our website, social channels – and, of course, the Startups in Stilettos podcast – and so much MORE!Join the Entreprenista League today at entreprenista.com/join. We can’t wait to welcome you, support you, and be part of your business journey!
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