
Behind Her Empire
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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Latest episodes

Sep 13, 2023 • 48min
How to Optimize Fertility for Men & Women with Dr. Corina Dunlap
If you’re thinking about conceiving, have a diagnosis of PCOS or endometriosis, have experienced miscarriages or are anxious about pregnancy, this episode is for you. We sat down with our medical advisor and fertility expert, Dr. Corina Dunlap, to discuss the who, what, when and how as it relates to preparing the body for a baby.In this episode you’ll learn:* How to optimize your health before conceiving* When you should start preparing your body* Why fertility doesn’t just fall on women* What to eat during preconception* How men can support their sperm healthDr. Corina Dunlap is a licensed naturopathic doctor (ND) and women’s health and hormone specialist. She is the creator of Health by Design, a deeply personalized women’s healthcare program, and The Healthy Hormones Method, a transformational framework for women. Specializing in the treatment of conditions that range from irregular periods to PMS, thyroid imbalances, endometriosis, pelvic pain, and menopause, she is an internationally recognized expert in natural fertility optimization and women’s health at all stages of life. Dr. Dunlap is a clinician, researcher, educator, and speaker.This episode is brought to you by beeya: * Learn more about beeya's seed cycling bundle at https://beeyawellness.com/free to find out how to tackle hormonal imbalances. * Get $10 off your order by using promo code BEHINDHEREMPIREFollow Yasmin:* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yasminknouri/* Website: https://www.behindherempire.com/Follow Dr. Corina: * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drcorinadunlap/* Website: https://drcorinadunlap.com/Get Dr. Dunlap’s NEW Preconception by Design course: https://www.healthbydesignnaturopathicllc.com/preconceptionbydesign Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sep 11, 2023 • 57min
Ditching Corporate to Pursue Your Wildest Dreams with Sarah Gibson Tuttle, Founder of Olive & June
In this week's episode we're re-airing one of our top episodes with Sarah Gibson Tuttle, the CEO and founder of Olive & June, an innovative at-home nail-care brand that's disrupting the industry. Risking everything you have to pursue a dream can be the scariest but most rewarding thing a person can do in their life. Today’s guest has done just that. Sarah spent a decade in equity sales trading at Morgan Stanley and JP Morgan. She never thought she'd become an entrepreneur until her love for Drybar inspired her to create the same thing, but for nails. Although everybody thought her idea was crazy, Sarah was confident it would work and put all her savings into the first flagship store. Olive & June is now successfully democratizing nail care with their full suite of at-home mani and pedi products. In today's episode, we talk about how life's curveballs can be the biggest gift to sending you on a new path to rediscover your purpose and Sarah explains what it was like for her to ditch her safe corporate job to follow her passions, what kept her in her previous job for so long, and how her divorce added to her motivation to shake things up. She also shares the fears and imposter syndrome she overcame on the journey and the importance of therapy in her personal and professional life. Tuning in, you’ll hear how Sarah got funding, how she built a strong community around her brand, and how she has successfully pivoted over the years (especially during COVID). She also shares the importance of delegating and how, as a wife, mother, and entrepreneur, she manages it all. For a very vulnerable real conversation on what it takes to build a multimillion-dollar company from scratch, tune in today!In this episode, we’ll talk to Sarah about:* Overcoming career leap obstacles. [03:27]* Sarah's enduring passion through entrepreneurial challenges. [05:31]* Sarah's lengthy tenure as an equity sales trader. [08:52]* How divorce spurred her to shake things up. [12:25]* Building connections, embracing resistance. [17:38]* Therapy, empathy, and the impact of divorce. [22:50]* Overcoming fear and investing life savings. [26:03]* Creating a brand community. [29:02]* Balancing vision and adaptability. [37:05]* Olive & June's pandemic pivot and community support. [38:09]* Sarah's fundraising approach and investor relations. [40:32]* Valuable investment advice appreciated in hindsight. [44:18]* Juggling different life aspects. [48:22]* Team-building, delegation, and relinquishing control. [52:39]This episode is brought to you by beeya: * Learn more about beeya's seed cycling bundle at https://beeyawellness.com/free to find out how to tackle hormonal imbalances. * Get $10 off your order by using promo code BEHINDHEREMPIREFollow Yasmin:* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yasminknouri/* Website: https://www.behindherempire.com/Follow Sarah: * Sarah's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gibsontuttle/* Olive & June Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oliveandjune/* Olive & June website: https://oliveandjune.com/* Get 20% off your first nail system - use code: BEHINDHEREMPIRE10 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sep 6, 2023 • 50min
Busting Weight Loss Myths & Transforming Your Relationship with Food with Kim Shapira, Celebrity Dietitian
Are you always fighting cravings? Or in a never ending battle with your weight? In today’s episode, we sat down with a Registered Dietitian to get to the bottom of weight loss woes, popular advice, Ozempic, hunger cues and everything you need to know if your goal is to lose and maintain your weight—without depriving yourself.In this episode you’ll learn:* How to take back your relationship with food* Most common weight loss MISTAKES* How to maintain weight in perimenopause* The truth about taking Ozempic* How to STOP sugar cravings fast* Why your hunger cues are offKim Shapira M.S., R.D. is a celebrity dietitian (Kaley CuoCo, Brittney Snow, Marla Sokoloff and many more), nutritional therapist, and author of This is What You're Really Hungry For releasing July 25th, 2023. With a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from Tulane University and a Master’s degree in Human Metabolism and Clinical Nutrition from Boston University. Kim has spent over 25 years helping people lose weight and keep it off (with a giant emphasis on keeping it off), both in her private Los Angeles practice as well as in hospitals, sports clinics, addiction centers and universities around the States. Kim Shapira has been at the forefront of nutrition therapy since the early 2000s, helping clients to truly understand their relationship with their bodies and correcting life long negative behaviors. Kim has been featured in Yahoo! News, Vanity Fair, Pop Sugar, Sky News, Just Jenny, Dr. Drew and many more.This episode is brought to you by beeya: * Learn more about beeya's seed cycling bundle at https://beeyawellness.com/free to find out how to tackle hormonal imbalances. * Get $10 off your order by using promo code BEHINDHEREMPIRE10Follow Yasmin:* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yasminknouri/* Website: https://www.behindherempire.com/Follow Kim: * Website: https://www.kimshapiramethod.com/* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kimshapiramethod/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sep 4, 2023 • 53min
How to Leave Your Day Job, Build Your Brand & Start Your Own Thing with Nicole Gibbons, Founder of Clare
In this week's episode we're re-airing one of our top episodes with Nicole Gibbons, the founder of Clare, the only Black-owned paint brand in the US, and is a favorite of Jessica Alba, Maria Sharapova, and Nate Berkus to name a few. Before pursuing interior design, Nicole spent nearly a decade managing PR for one of the world’s largest retail brands, Victoria's Secret. Although she was excelling in her career, Nicole felt uninspired and was looking for a new outlet for her creativity. She started working on a decorating blog on the side that ultimately gained serious traction and led her into the path of interior design. After working as a designer and establishing herself as a voice in the industry, Nicole decided to do another career pivot and had a yearning to build something that would be a household name. When working with clients, she always noticed the hassle around picking paints and saw an opportunity to disrupt the outdated paint industry and create a direct-to-consumer business that makes the entire process a way better experience. Nicole has been featured in top media outlets such as HGTV, The Rachael Ray Show, Good Morning America, and Oprah Winfrey’s OWN. She's also raised venture capital from the backers of Warby Parker, Casper, Peloton, and more.We talk to Nicole today about the power of patience when it comes to building your business, how to think about your finance before you take the leap, how she raised money and built a tech business with zero connections to start, and so much more!In this episode, we'll talk to Nicole about:* Nicole's thoughts on confidence and the nature of risk and reward in entrepreneurship. [3:09]* The familial links that Nicole has to entrepreneurship and her early corporate career. [4:30]* Nicole's side hustle journey: pursuing passion while employed. [6:06]* How the blog organically evolved from a passion project into a business. [8:12]* Patience and consistency fueled Nicole's transition to full-time interior design. [10:01]* Foregoing the safety of paychecks and betting on yourself. [13:16]* Nicole's second pivot; executing on her research and ideas. [20:48]* How networking has played into Nicole's strategy throughout. [24:45]* Entering the world of venture capital; Nicole's philosophy towards funding. [27:13]* Advice for approaching investors; asking questions and due diligence. [34:57]* Sharing the story of your brand and creating a common thread through everything you do. [37:31)* Nicole's key resources: community, questions, and more. [41:29]* Nicole's thoughts on the idea of work-life balance and welcoming different seasons. [46:18]* Lessons from the early days of hiring for a new company. [49:28]This episode is brought to you by beeya: * Learn more about beeya's seed cycling bundle at https://beeyawellness.com/free to find out how to tackle hormonal imbalances. * Get $10 off your order by using promo code BEHINDHEREMPIRE10Follow Yasmin:* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yasminknouri/* Website: https://www.behindherempire.com/Follow Nicole: * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicolegibbonsstyle* Clare's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clarepaint* Clare Website: https://www.clare.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 30, 2023 • 55min
How to Have a Better Period Without Painkillers & Habits You Need for Healthy Hormones with Dr. Saru Bala
Can you imagine never taking painkillers on your period again?! We’re here to tell you that it’s possible. In today’s episode of Hormone Happy Hour, Dr. Saru Bala shares time-tested secrets to hormone health and having happy periods every month.In this episode you’ll learn:* PMS hacks if you don’t want to use painkillers* How to know if your period is heavy* What can lead to estrogen dominance * The impact of stress on gut health* How to dial in sleep for healthy hormonesDr. Bala is a licensed Naturopathic Doctor with a degree from Bastyr University in Seattle, Washington. Prior to attending medical school, she received her Bachelor's degree in Neurobiology from the University of Texas at Austin. She has done extra training in the areas of women’s health and naturopathic endocrinology. Her primary focus is on managing chronic hormonal issues such as PMS, period pain, heavy bleeding, fibroids, endometriosis, Hashimoto's, fertility, and other women's hormonal health concerns.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 BEHINDHEREMPIRE10Follow Yasmin:* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yasminknouri/* Website: https://www.behindherempire.com/Follow Dr. Saru:* Website: https://www.drsarubala.com/ * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drsarubala Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 28, 2023 • 1h 1min
Quitting Your 9-5 & Betting on Yourself with Amy Liu, Founder of Tower 28
In this week's episode we're re-airing one of our top episodes with Amy Liu, the founder and CEO of Tower 28, a beauty company inclusive of all skin tones, skin types, budgets, and beauty philosophies. For over 15 years, Amy Liu worked as a beauty executive at some of the fastest-growing prestige companies, including Smashbox, Kate Somerville and Josie Maran Cosmetics. But as a longtime eczema sufferer, she couldn’t even enjoy the best part of working in the beauty industry: trying out all the products! Even the clean alternatives were super expensive or too clinical, like they were coming straight from the doctor’s office. Amy saw this white space as an opportunity, and set out to create Tower 28. Tower 28 is the first beauty brand that’s 100 percent clean, vegan, and free of every known skin irritant. We talk to Amy about how she thought about the risk she was talking in starting her career with a successful corporate career under her belt, three kids and a mortgage. Amy also shares her perspective on why there's never a “right time” to get started, why we should never fall into the trap of comparison, the power of fostering real relationships in life and in business, and so much more.In this episode, we'll talk to Amy about:* Where Amy’s aversion to risk originated. [3:26]* Why Amy chose to become an entrepreneur in the beauty space. [7:59]* An overview of Amy’s career prior to founding Tower 28. [8:50]* How working for other companies before starting her own has benefitted Amy. [16:08]* Amy shares her motivation for quitting her full-time job and offers advice to mothers with similar concerns. [18:33]* The conversation that changed the course of Amy’s life. [22:50]* Value that lies in talking openly about what you want to achieve. [25:36]* The importance of reputation. [29:02]* Amy's unique approach to founding Tower 28 compared to her previous three ventures. [30:01]* What differentiates Tower 28 from other brands. [32:56]* Amy’s thoughts on overcoming fears around entering a saturated market. [34:02]* The ultimate goal that Amy had when she founded Tower 28. [37:30]* How Amy incorporates her values into her brand. [38:36]* Amy explains the approach that she took to growing Tower 28. [46:40]* How her experience of building Tower 28 has changed the way Amy looks at life. [50:03]* Exploring business challenges and rewards. [51:30]* Amy's wisdom for fulfilling life as a female founder. [56:15]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.Follow Yasmin:* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yasminknouri/* Website: https://www.behindherempire.com/Follow Amy:* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amyliu_t28/* Tower 28 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tower28beauty/* Website: https://www.tower28beauty.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 23, 2023 • 1h 3min
Top Foods to Boost Energy, End Cravings, Reduce Inflammation, Support Hormone Balance & More with Dr. Casey Means
Did you know that only 12% of Americans are considered metabolically healthy?! That’s 1 in 8 people. Blood sugar has implications for our energy, focus, weight, mental health—and yes, hormone balance. So basically, blood sugar is relevant to all of us. We sat down with one of the foremost experts on this very topic and co-founder of metabolic health company Levels, Dr. Casey Means, to ask questions submitted by YOU, our beeya community. In this episode you’ll learn: * The top 5 foods to eat for metabolic health* How blood sugar shifts during women’s cycles* The best way to optimize blood sugar throughout your cycle* What waking up at night could mean about your health* Blood sugar hacks you need to know for everyday life* And more…Casey Means, MD is a Stanford-trained physician, Chief Medical Officer and co-founder of metabolic health company Levels. Her mission is to maximize human potential and reverse the epidemic of preventable chronic disease by empowering individuals with tech-enabled tools that can inform smart, personalized, and sustainable dietary and lifestyle choices. Dr. Means’ perspective has been recently featured in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, The New Yorker, Men's Health, Women's Health, and more.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 BEHINDHEREMPIRE10Follow Yasmin:* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yasminknouri/* Website: https://www.behindherempire.com/Follow Dr. Casey:* Website: https://www.levelshealth.com/blog/author/caseymeans * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drcaseyskitchen/Head over to levels.link/BEHINDHEREMPIRE to get a special Levels offer! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 21, 2023 • 1h 1min
How This Stay-At-Home Mom Built One of the Fastest-Growing Tequila Brands - Kat Hantas, Co-founder of 21 Seeds Tequila
Kat Hantas is the co-founder of 21 Seeds Tequila, one of the fastest-growing flavored tequilas. Kat’s had an interesting journey - from thinking she wanted to be a doctor, then pivoting to the entertainment industry, and then being a stay-at-home mom for many years. She never would have thought that she’d launch a business in the liquor industry. It wasn’t until she started noticing that her evening wine wasn’t making her feel good and her doctor recommended that she move away from fermented spirits and into distilled spirits. In the process of exploring tequila options, Kat came up with the idea to start 21 Seeds Tequila - a fresh natural tequila made with real fruit. She was making this in her kitchen for years, until one day the demand became so much that her friend inspired her to start selling the bottles. This sparked the idea and Kat co-founded the business with her sister and good friend to make it a reality. The business was acquired by Diageo in just three years in March 2022 and the deal marked one of the largest female-founded liquor acquisitions to-date.In this podcast episode, Kat opens up about her journey with imposter syndrome and shares tips on overcoming it in her career in the entertainment industry and entrepreneurial ventures. She discusses her transition from being a stay-at-home mom to launching 21 Seeds, highlighting the challenges of finding a distillery, creating product-market fit, and building a supportive network. Kat ends by sharing the playbook she used in marketing and the importance of knowing your customer, and so much more. In this episode, we’ll talk to Kat about:* Impostor syndrome and its impact on women's aspirations. [03:07]* Kat's shift from medical school to the entertainment industry. [06:33]* Experience at Creative Artists Agency (CAA) and starting her production company. [11:37]* Film "Taking 5," hiatus, and focusing on family. [16:18]* Kat's journey as a stay-at-home mom, health challenges, and 21 Seeds inspiration. [21:23]* Transition from a hobby to launching 21 Seeds Tequila after nine years. [25:01]* Significance of co-founders in 21 Seeds' success. [29:23]* Challenges in the male-dominated tequila industry without expertise. [35:19]* Launch process and diligent preparations for 21 Seeds. [41:47]* Fundraising process and key lessons learned. [43:30]* Early momentum and unique marketing for 21 Seeds. [49:12]* Diageo's acquisition of 21 Seeds, a milestone in female-founded liquor business. [54:48]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 BEHINDHEREMPIRE10Follow Yasmin:* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yasminknouri/* Website: https://www.behindherempire.com/Follow Kat:* 21 Seeds Website: https://www.21seeds.com/* 21 Seeds Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/21seeds/* Kat's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kathantas/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 16, 2023 • 53min
Getting to the Root of Hormonal Acne + Breakouts with Kristin Cunningham, Holistic Skin Healing Expert
Have you ever struggled with acne? While often thought of as a mere sign of puberty, acne can continue into or begin during adulthood—and it’s especially common when hormonal birth control enters the picture. Skin challenges after coming off the pill is actually what led our co-founder, Yasmin, to try seed cycling—which today’s Hormone Happy Hour guest mentions as a way to help address acne!In this episode you’ll learn: * Why you could be getting acne later in life* The top root causes of acne* Where to start on your healing journey* How some animal products can help nourish skin* The truth about topical-only approaches* Foods that could be triggering flare ups * How seed cycling can support clear skinKristin Cunningham is a board certified nurse practitioner who specializes in root cause treatment of complex acne cases. She earned her undergraduate degree from Johns Hopkins University and her master's degree from Georgetown University. While she was working as a nurse practitioner in family medicine she started struggling with adult acne. She soon became disillusioned with the ineffective, expensive skin care cluttering her vanity and the harsh medications that characterized traditional acne management. After spending months studying the root causes of acne and applying a holistic approach she was able to heal her acne. She saw the need for more awareness of this holistic model and started @The_Acne_NP on Instagram. She soon drew attention from thousands of followers who wanted to understand the root causes of acne for themselves.Kristin currently works full time teaching people how to clear their skin through a comprehensive, holistic approach. She lives in Durham, North Carolina with her husband and 3 school-age children.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 BEHINDHEREMPIRE10Check out Kristin’s programs and use code BEEYA150 for $150 off here:* Teen Acne Academy - www.bemetahealth.com/teenacneacademy * Clear Skin Code (Adult program) - www.bemetahealth.com/clearskincodeFollow Yasmin:* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yasminknouri/* Website: https://www.behindherempire.com/Follow Kristin:* Website: https://www.bemetahealth.com/ * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_acne_np/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 14, 2023 • 57min
How This Unlikely Entrepreneur Went From Corporate to Founding a Billion-Dollar Business with Carolyn Childers, Co-Founder, Chief
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]* 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 BEHINDHEREMPIRE10Follow Yasmin:* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yasminknouri/* Website: https://www.behindherempire.com/Follow Carolyn:* CHIEF Website: https://chief.com/* CHIEF Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chiefamongstus/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.