Dear Twentysomething

This week we chat with Dr. Shereene Idriss! Shereene is unlike her peers. In a time when top-name dermatologists have signed on as corporate-brand figureheads, joining in on false marketing hype to appear relevant, Dr. Idriss has become a household name for doing just the opposite. She rose to organic fame through her #PillowtalkDerm series on Instagram, Tiktok, and YouTube for candidly speaking about skincare, sharing the science-based truth behind it all. In doing so, she amassed a following of 1 million+ “skin nerds” across IG, YT and TT, who called on her to create her very own skincare line minus any of the B.S. and with that, PillowtalkDerm was born. In this episode, the talk about what led to the start of Shereene’s world of dermatology. The two uncover stories from studying days, her journey to Tiktok, and the jumpstart that fueled her entrepreneurial approach to skincare! Conversations on challenges, choices, and determination are just the beginning…Twentysomethings, listen now for an hour of pure entrepreneurial spirit with the incredible, Dr. Shereene Idriss!Follow Us!Shereene Idriss Instagram: @shereeneidrissShereene Idriss Tiktok: @shereeneidriss & @pillowtalkdermShereene Idriss Youtube: @pillowtalkdermPillowtalkDerm: website hereErica Wenger: @erica_wengerDear Twentysomething: @deartwentysomething

This week we’re talking sobriety with the incredible Brooke LeBlanc. Brooke is the Founder & CEO of Edge, a consumer health tech startup on a mission to help you cut back or quit drinking. Through her experience in tech sales and 2+ year sobriety journey, she's helped coach dozens of people to abstain from drinking. Now she's building a team to productize her learnings and using technology to allow you to track your Blood Alcohol Content in realtime to tell a fuller picture of your drinking consumption and patterns. Edge is in stealth, currently raising their first round and you're getting a sneak peek into her background as the Founder and insight into the future of drinking. Brooke shares content around her sobriety journey online and has built a community and following around her mission.In this explained episode, the pair dive deep into the experiences that led to the formation of Edge, highlighting personal challenges as well as obstacles in business. This week we’re bringing you a story of inspiration and a business idea made reality, centered in service. Twentysomethings, listen now for an hour of inspiration with Brooke LeBlanc!Follow Us!Brooke LeBlanc: @mbrookeleblancEdge: @joinedgeappBrooke's viral essay: HEREErica Wenger: @erica_wengerDear Twentysomething: @deartwentysomething

This week we chat all things Broadway, with our host, Erica Wenger!While we hear Broadway praise all the time, what exactly is it all about? Broadway is a boulevard of famous theaters where people from all over the world travel to experience the 'pinnacle of theatrical artistry'. It is a luxury of an experience and our host is here to share all about it!On this episode Erica offers an inside scoop into her recent Broadway experience, sharing favorite moments, reflections, and suggestions. Twentysomethings, listen now for an hour of inspiration for your next trip to NY with our host, Erica Wenger!Follow Us!Erica Wenger: @erica_wengerDear Twentysomething: @deartwentysomething

This week we chat with childhood best friend, Lindsay Feder.Lindsay is the childhood best friend of our host, Erica! We're bringing you a special and heartfelt episode this week as the two talk all about 'female friendships.' Conversations of overcoming obstacles, sustainability, and shared memories are just the beginning.Twentysomethings, listen now for an hour of friendship and tips for women in their twenties who are aiming to maintain friendships for a lifetime with our host, Erica Wenger, and special guest, Lindsay Feder!Follow Us!Lindsay Feder: @lindsayfederErica Wenger: @erica_wengerDear Twentysomething: @deartwentysomething

This week we chat with the innovative, Katharine Lau!Katharine is the CEO and Co-Founder of Stuf, one of 'Fast Company’s' World’s Most Innovative Companies in 2022. She was named to 'Inc. Magazine’s' Female Founders 100 list in the same year. Katharine is passionate about reinventing consumer experiences in the physical world and leads the company’s strategic vision and overall strategy in transforming the self-storage industry. From 2015-2020, Katharine led supply growth at Industrious, the nation’s largest premium shared workplace provider. As VP of Real Estate, she pioneered an "industry first” asset and liability-light growth strategy which generated $150M in annual managed revenue and prompted CBRE to acquire Industrious in early 2021. Katharine hired and managed a 20+ person team and oversaw the company’s 14x expansion in under 4 years while developing go-to-market strategies for new digital products and tenant experience services.  In this episode, the pair go back to Katharine's prior employment experiences having worked at Equinox as Manager of Development. Conversations on the experiences that shaped her entrepreneruail mindset and the space she's created to pioneer her way are just the beginning.Twentysomethings, listen now for an hour of inspiration and motivation with the impressive, Katharine Lau!Follow Us!Katharine Lau: @katharine_lauStuf Storage: @stufstorage (and website here)Erica Wenger: @erica_wengerDear Twentysomething: @deartwentysomething

This week we chat with the innovative and creative, Margaret Wishingrad!Margaret is the Co-founder and CEO of Three Wishes, a "healthy-while-delicious" cereal. Margaret has grown Three Wishes from an idea to a national brand, with retailers including: Whole Foods, Sprouts, Erewhon and many more. Before founding Three Wishes, Margaret was Chief of Staff at BigEyedWish, an ad-agency where she worked with Fortune 100 to seed-round startup businesses. After welcoming her first son, Ellis, Margaret discovered a space in the market for a nutritional cereal she wanted to feed her son...On this episode, the pair trace back to Margaret's upbringing as an immigrant child in Brooklyn, NY and the experiences of her youth that fostered an independence to carry her for years. Conversations on the passion for working, the intrinsic drive for success, and the make or break experiences of an entrepreneur are just the beginning!Twentysomethings, get ready for an hour with the clever, Margaret Wishingrad!Follow Us!Margaret Wishingrad: @mbwishThree Wishes: @threewishesErica Wenger: @erica_wengerDear Twentysomething: @deartwentysomething

This week we chat with the ambitious Maika Isagowa! Maika is the founder and CEO of Webacy, a platform for securing digital assets for the unexpected. Webacy began by exploring ways to protect blockchain-based assets with smart contracts. The team created infrastructure that could securely move assets in the event of an emergency, like death, all without the use of keys. With this foundation, Webacy began to expand into wallet safety, conditional-trigger products, and more. In this episode, the pair jump to the start of Maika’s entrepreneurial journey, uncovering the passion and drive that underlies it all. Maika is a Stanford graduate and former engineer at Microsoft who has compiled her experience and assets into the formation of her own company. Twentysomethings, if you’re looking for a motivation boost in your week, listen now to this new one hour episode featuring the ambitious Maika Isagowa!Follow Us!Maika Isogawa: @maikaisogawaWebacy: @mywebacy (and website here)Erica Wenger: @erica_wengerDear Twentysomething: @deartwentysomething

This week we chat with “36 Questions Later” Podcast host, Mady Maio.Mady is the co-founder of Camber, co-host of Okay Sis Podcast, and the host of the new video podcast series, 36 Questions Later. The series features four blind dates, where strangers ask each other the “36 questions that lead to love.” The questions date back to a 1997 study and went viral in a New York Times article. In this new series, Mady finds out how the experiment holds up today; you can follow along by checking out 36 Questions Later on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.In this episode, Erica switches roles from host to interviewee. Long term friends who have crossed paths in different walks of life before are rejoining again for the episode of the season! Mady mirrors the format of her “36 Questions Later” podcast this week on Dear Twentysomething as she interviews Erica. Conversations of depth and weight concerning both personal and professional thoughts, goals, and perception are all uncovered this week!! Twentysomethings, get ready for an episode like no other with this week’s swapped host, Mady Maio!Follow Us!Mady Maio: @madymaio36 Questions Later Podcast: (Youtube, Apple Podcast, and Spotify)Erica Wenger: @erica_wengerDear Twentysomething: @deartwentysomething

This week we chat with the successful serial entrepreneur, Christina Wallace!A self-described "human Venn diagram," Christina Wallace has crafted a career at the intersection of business, technology, and the arts. After a decade as a serial entrepreneur, she joined the faculty of Harvard Business School where she is the course head of the first-year entrepreneurship class and runs the HBS Startup Bootcamp. Her latest book is The Portfolio Life: How to Future-Proof Your Career, Avoid Burnout, and Build A Life Bigger Than Your Business Card (Hachette, April 2023).On this episode the pair go back to the start of Christina's journey and breakdown motivation and challenges along her way to success. A frequent public speaker on topics including entrepreneurship, failure, and women in tech, Christina is also known for her viral TED talk on using a sales funnel for online dating and her TEDx talk about portfolio careers and the future of work. Conversations on failure, startup businesses, and the spirit of entrepreneurship at its core is just a glimpse into this week's episode. Twentysomethings, get ready for an hour with the inspiring and creative, Christina Wallace!Follow Us!Christina Wallace: Instagram @cmwalla // Twitter @cmwallaThe Portfolio Life: (website here)Erica Wenger: @erica_wengerDear Twentysomething: @deartwentysomething

This week we’re talking all about Bootstrapping vs. Raising VC Money for a start-up with our host, Erica Wenger! Having established three successful start-up businesses of her own and now entering the world of venture capital, Erica offers an inside scoop into the world of raising money for start-up businesses. While there are several different routes concerning this topic, Erica is here to share her tips, tricks, advice, and solutions with us this week! In this episode, Erica shares her experience with bootstrapping as an aid in her own start-up companies and her take on this method. While reflecting on the benefits of bootstrapping, Erica compares pros and cons to the raising venture capital method. Not only does Erica emphasize the importance of the weight that borrowed money holds, but she offers insight into the brainstorming that comes with venture capital investments. Conversation on smart profit investments, building and learning over time, and establishing the right to borrow money.Twentysomethings, if you’re starting a business and navigating bootstrapping vs. raising venture capital funds to build your business, this is the episode for you! Featuring our host, Erica Wenger!Follow Us!Erica Wenger: @erica_wengerDear Twentysomething: @deartwentysomething