Behind Her Empire

Sandra Campos is an internationally recognized retail technology CEO, entrepreneur, and retail executive.A child of entrepreneurial, immigrant parents, Sandra’s upbringing was characterized by a focus on education, helping out in her family’s tortilla business from a young age, and experimenting with her own entrepreneurial ventures in fashion. Sandra’s love for fashion and buying led her to New York City, where she was thrown completely in the deep end. Over the years, Sandra worked multiple jobs, paid off debt, and ate potatoes for lunch; all of which taught her resilience, grit, and never giving up. Sandra has been instrumental in launching brands like DKNY, Polo Jeans as well as her own venture with Selena Gomez which grew to over $100M in annual sales turnover per year over the course of six years. She then became president of Global Brands Group, which owned brands like Bebe, BCBG, and Juicy Couture. She most recently was the CEO of the iconic brand, Diane Von Furstenberg.  Now, she’s the CEO of retail tech start-up Project Verte and the founder of Fashion Launchpad, an online education platform. Sandra advises various startups, is part of the advisory group for Athena Technology Acquisition Corp (a SPAC on the NYSE), and is on the Board of Directors for Big Lots. We talk to Sandra about changing careers from a small town in Texas to the runways of New York, making a major life pivot after getting divorced and raising her three children as a single mom, setting goals (and the magic number), listening to your inner voice and so much more!In this episode, we talk to Sandra about:* Sandra’s family history, the environment that she grew up in, and the role that her upbringing has played in her success. [3:20]* What Sandra has learned from her mother about financial management. [11:50]* Exposure to entrepreneurship that Sandra’s children have had from a young age. [16:27]* Push and pull factors that drove Sandra into the business world. [24:08]* Milestones that Sandra has set for herself throughout her life, and the value she sees in this practice. [30:17]* Three: the magic number when it comes to goal setting. [33:10] * Why, as an entrepreneur, you need to learn to say no. [34:32]* Challenges that Sandra was faced with after she made the decision to get divorced. [38:58]* Sandra’s involvement in her entrepreneurial venture with Selena Gomez. [40:19]* Something Sandra wishes she had done differently when she left the corporate world. [45:54]* Advice from Sandra about figuring out what balance means to you personally. [50:50]* Sandra shares what she learned about leadership from working alongside Diane von Furstenberg. [52:48]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 Sandra:* Sandra Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sandracamposnyc/* Fashion Launchpad: https://fashionlaunchpad.com/ Follow Yasmin:* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yasminknouri/* Stay updated & subscribe to our newsletter: https://www.behindherempire.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hitha Palepu is a serial entrepreneur, investor, activist, and author. Currently, Hitha is the CEO of Rhoshan Pharmaceuticals and author of her latest book, We're Speaking: The Life Lessons of Kamala Harris: How to Use Your Voice, Be Assertive, and Own Your Story. She also runs #5SmartReads, a social series that compiles five must-read articles every day to keep her community informed. As a multi-hyphenate, Hitha is used to things not working out, but this has never stopped her from trying. She has always been able to see the lesson where most others have not, and this trait has helped her succeed. In this wide-ranging conversation, we hear about Hitha’s incredibly inspiring family, the impact they had on her, and some of the values that were instilled in her early on. We talk to Hitha about her time in the corporate world, why she ultimately decided to go out on her own, and the many lessons she learned from her first “failure” in the start-up world. Hitha also shares how she became an angel investor focused on women-founded businesses, the inspiration around her latest book, why we should all “eat no for breakfast” and so much more.In this episode, we talk to Hitha about:* What holds most people back from getting started on something. [2:54]* The impact that Hitha’s immigrant parents had on her. [4:29]* How being treated like an adult at a young age influenced Hitha. [8:12]* The path Hitha thought she would go on when she went to college and where she needed up. [10:42]* Hitha’s time in the corporate world and what this taught her. [14:00]* What led Hitha to start her blog, which has morphed into other things and the value of having a side project. [16:28]* All of the lessons that Hitha learned from running her blog. [17:18]* You should do things that make you light up, even if you don’t have an end game in mind. [18:20]* The reflective period and subsequent pivot that happened when Hitha was pregnant. [22:50]* How Hitha came to be a serious investor. [26:32]* What Hitha typically looks for in companies she invests in. [29:55]* Why women founders and CEOs aren't allowed to "fail" in the media. [31:58]* There is so little room for women to fail and make a comeback. [34:00]* The need to have a flexible culture for parents. [35:45]* How Hitha divides her time and where her priorities lie. [37:42]* Insights into Hitha’s upcoming book. [42:34]* The influence that Kamala Harris had on Hitha. [44:04]* What surprised Hitha the most when she was writing the book. [46:30]* How motherhood has changed Hitha’s life. [49:35]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 BEHINDHEREMPIREFollow Hitha:* Hitha Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hithapalepu/* Hitha's Book: We're SpeakingThe Life Lessons of Kamala Harris: How to Use Your Voice, Be Assertive, and Own Your Story: https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/hitha-palepu/were-speaking/9780316283052/Follow Yasmin:* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yasminknouri/* Stay updated & subscribe to our newsletter: https://www.behindherempire.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Angela Sutherland is the Co-Founder and CEO of Yumi, a fresh, organic, and nutritious baby food delivery service.After many years working in private equity, Angela never imagined she’d one day be an entrepreneur and start a baby food company. When she became pregnant with her first child, she became hyper-aware of the importance of nutrition in a child's first 1,000 days of life. She realized most baby food offerings in grocery stores are low in nutrition and incredibly high in sugar.So, this made her think: what options do new working parents have to ensure their child gets proper nutrition without the hassle and clean-up of making every meal? The opportunity was clear. This led Angela to dive deep into research and discuss the problem with her longtime friend, Evelyn Rusli - and within weeks, they both decided to quit their jobs and create Yumi.It only took one and a half months to launch Yumi's first beta which was a massive success. They’ve raised over $30 million to date and are available nationally while also having a cult following with celebrities like Jessica Alba, Gabrielle Union, and Molly Sims to name a few.We’ll talk to Angela about the importance of taking a leap of faith when it comes to entrepreneurship, overcoming doubt, the power of community and brand when building your business, lessons learned when it comes to fundraising, and so much more.In this episode, we talk to Angela about:* Angela’s advice for anybody who is dealing with imposter syndrome. [3:04]* The inspiration that Angela has drawn from her mom throughout her life. [4:50]* How Angela became an entrepreneur. [6:10]* What Angela realized when she started researching baby food. [7:30]* Why Angela recommends taking the leap before doing too much planning. [10:23]* The value of community. [11:50]* How Angela and her long-time friend and Co-Founder, Evelyn Rusli, formed their business relationship [13:26]* Angela and Evelyn’s approach to raising funding initially. [19:30]* What the beta phase of Yumi looked like, and the response that they received. [22:02]* Learnings that Angela and Evelyn had when they started Yumi. [24:23]* How long Yumi’s beta phase lasted. [27:50]* Challenges of fundraising as a woman of color. [29:08]* Doubts that come with starting a company, and how to overcome them. [32:23]* What Angela sees as a key to the success of Yumi. [35:35]* Yumi’s approach to building community. [36:58]* More important learnings that Angela had as a first time founder. [38:10]* Meaning behind the name, Yumi. [40:14]* How Angela’s relationship with recovery has evolved over time. [42:30]* What wealth means to Angela. [43:33]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 BEHINDHEREMPIREFollow Angela:* Yumi Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yumi/* Website: https://helloyumi.com/Follow Yasmin:* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yasminknouri/* Stay updated & subscribe to our newsletter: https://www.behindherempire.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Helene Godin is the founder and CEO of By The Way Bakery, a unique, old-fashioned bakery where each treat is handmade, gluten-free, dairy-free, and certified kosher. Helene hasn't always been a baker. She spent over two decades as a successful lawyer when she decided that she was ready for a change, and took the bold step of starting her business.Although she was not an experienced baker, Helene leveraged her skill and passion as a researcher, along with her determination to exceed expectations, to learn and develop delicious gluten-free foods. Through her tenacity, she was able to create a unique gluten-free flour mix that now forms the cornerstone of her exceptional baked goods. Today her bakery has four locations and can be found in over 80 Whole Foods stores nationwide. Over the past 10 years, her brand has developed a cult following and is beloved by many celebrities.In our conversation with Helene, we discuss her transition from being a full-time lawyer to entrepreneurship and how this step changed her lifestyle and identity. We delve into how Helene prepared herself for the challenges that lay ahead as well as how she became comfortable with failure and taking risks after her very stable career.In this episode, we'll talk to Helene about:* Helene’s long, successful career as a lawyer and how she made the leap to pursue entrepreneurship and open up a bakery. [3:12]* What it meant for Helene’s sense of identity to no longer be a lawyer. [5:04]* The long and thorough process of preparation that Helene went through to open her bakery and why she felt confident about this transition period. [6:54]* The entrepreneurial traits that Helene’s husband recognized in her and the role he has played in her journey. [12:06]* How Helene identified and developed her passion after a long career as a lawyer. [14:18]* How Helene took a chance in entrepreneurship by pursuing a field she had virtually no experience in. [16:18]* Helene breaks down her process for making her business viable in the early stages and how she engineered her gluten-free flour mix. [18:18]* How Helene conducted market research for her gluten-free products and decided not to be entirely vegan, but still dairy-free. [22:10]* Some of the major pivots that Helene has had to make in life and business, especially due to the COVID-19 pandemic. [24:56]* Helene’s transition into wholesale during the earlier days of her business and how she got into her first Whole Foods through tenacity and patience. [28:45]* How the bakery had to adapt to a much larger new order from Whole Foods in a short period, why they couldn’t say no, and how the company has grown since. [32:01]* The devastating impact of the COVID pandemic, how it affected the demand for baked goods, and the steps Helene took to keep her bakers on staff. [37:47]* Helene’s self-care ritual and how it’s developed since the start of the COVID pandemic. [40:33]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 BEHINDHEREMPIREFollow Helene:* By The Way Bakery Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bythewaybakery/* https://www.btwbakery.com/Follow Yasmin:* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yasminknouri/* Stay updated & subscribe to our newsletter: https://www.behindherempire.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kaylin Marcotte is the founder and CEO of JIGGY, a brand that supports emerging female artists by turning their art into exciting jigsaw puzzles that are worth framing.Kaylin’s fondness for jigsaw puzzles started when she was looking for a way to unwind after a long day at work. She was the first employee at the well-known digital media company, theSkimm, and was managing everything from their brand ambassador program, community building, to grassroots marketing. As one might expect with early-stage start-ups work can be all encompassing and exhausting, and Kaylin discovered that completing jigsaw puzzles helped to reduce her stress and the perfect nightly meditation for her. After discovering her newfound love of puzzling, Kaylin realized that many of the puzzle designs were outdated and there was an opportunity to make something more beautiful.Kaylin launched JIGGY in November 2019 and was able to navigate the pandemic challenges that hit her a few months in and grow the business to $1.6 million in sales within the first 9 months. Kaylin was also featured on Shark Tank and secured $500K from billionaire Mark Cuban. We’ll chat with Kaylin about how she built the confidence to turn her hobby into a real business, how she navigated the pandemic and manufacturing challenges, what thoughtful growth means to her, and the many lessons she’s learned building a company as a one woman show.In this episode, we’ll talk to Kaylin about:* The early stages of Kaylin's career, years after college, and getting a job at theSkimm. [02:46]* Kaylin's inspiring approach to getting in front of the founders of theSkimm [5:02]* Getting into the startup world; challenges coming from a more corporate space. [8:08]* Lessons in learning on the job: how Kaylin drew inspiration from the young founders she worked for. [11:43]* Bringing the idea of Jiggy to life and how Kaylin picked up the hobby of making puzzles. [16:55]* How Kaylin supported herself through consulting work while getting the business off the ground. [21:29]* The foundations and relationships that Kaylin built in the early days of Jiggy. [23:11]* Jiggy's first nine months and Kaylin's approach to the bootstrap philosophy. [29:28]* The important connection that Kaylin developed with Anthropologie. [33:40]* Kaylin's experiences appearing on Shark Tank and her thinking going into it. [36:46]* Nervous feelings and preparation; how Kaylin managed to nail her appearance on the show. [39:20]* The funding that Kaylin received from Mark Cuban and the fruits of this important relationship so far. [40:56]* The team structure at Jiggy and why Kaylin has chosen to keep the company relatively small. [43:09]* The surprising elements of the business that have brought Kaylin the most satisfaction and joy! [45:38]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 BEHINDHEREMPIREFollow Kaylin:* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kaylinmarcotte/* Jiggy Puzzles Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jiggypuzzles/* Website: https://jiggypuzzles.com/Follow Yasmin:* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yasminknouri/* Stay updated & subscribe to our newsletter: https://www.behindherempire.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Noura Sakkijha is the co-founder and CEO of Mejuri, a fine jewelry brand that introduces handcrafted, everyday jewelry without the traditional retail markups. Looking from the outside in, entering the jewelry market can seem like a daunting endeavor. Not only is it seemingly saturated, but it’s also exceptionally expensive. Growing up in Jordan as a third-generation jeweler, Noura noticed that traditional high-end jewelry brands always targeted men, encouraging them to buy luxe jewelry for women. In 2015, Noura started Mejuri to change this narrative: A woman doesn't need a man to buy jewelry for her. She can buy it yourself. Noura was able to successfully raise over $40 million for her jewelry brand and shine in a competitive market. Noura’s products have been worn by A-list celebrities like Selena Gomez, Lizzo, Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande, Oprah, and more.We’ll talk to Noura about the difficult lessons she learned early in the business, why self-care and therapy have been game-changing for her in both her personal and professional life, and what it takes to build a high-growth brand & sell over 1.8 million pieces of jewelry since inception. In this episode, we’ll talk to Noura about:* How Noura's upbringing in Jordan impacted the woman she is today. [3:29]* Noura recounts a very busy time in her life when she moved to Canada to be a consultant while simultaneously earning an MBA. [5:30]* How Noura started Mejuri with her husband and what prompted her to pursue it [6:45]* What gave Nourra the confidence to enter a market like fine jewelry production. [08:33]* Noura's decision to join FounderFuel and 500 Startups, two top accelerators, and what she learned from the experience. [10:33]* How Noura changed her mindset around failure and learned from the tech world’s view on failure as a data point. [15:41]* How Noura gained traction during the early days of her company. [17:33]* Attracting in-house creatives without the resources of a larger, more established company. [20:21]* How she managed her mental health during a burnout period while building Mejuri. [21:44]* Advice Noura's mother gave her that has helped her honor self-care. [23:35]* Noura's experience with the demands that come with motherhood [24:31]* How she raised funds for her business while in the later stages of pregnancy. [27:29]* Managing her optimism and resilience during the difficult, early days of fundraising. [30:00]* Insights into ensuring the foundation of your business in the early stages. [31:10]* The time it took to find product fit and transition to the PR stage of their business. [32:45]* How Noura's family reacted to her starting Mejuri. [33:57]* One of the surprising things that Nourra is most proud of. [35:14]* What wealth means to Nourra at this point in her life. [37:07]* What it’s been like for her and her husband to be co-founders and business partners. [37:45]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 BEHINDHEREMPIREFollow Noura:* Mejuri Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mejuri/ * Mejuri Empowerment Fund: https://mejuri.com/info/ourcommitment * Website: https://mejuri.com/ Follow Yasmin:* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yasminknouri/* Stay updated & subscribe to our newsletter: https://www.behindherempire.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Logan Hollowell is the designer, founder and CEO of Logan Hollowell Jewelry. Logan started with little more than a dream board, some affirmations, and the right mindset and manifested her way to a jewelry empire. Her jewelry is a cult favorite and has been spotted on the likes of Rihanna, Jennifer Lawrence, Meghan Markle, and Jessica Alba, among others. Today she joins us to share her inspiring story with us. She tells us about her early fascination with gemstones, crystals, and spirituality and how this led her to her dream of becoming a jewelry designer. Being raised on the Outer Banks in North Carolina, she explains how the hurricanes she experienced as a child helped her to become comfortable with uncertainty, grow into a risk-taker, and move to LA at the age of 17 to pursue a career in fashion.We’ll chat about when Logan first discovered the law of attraction and how she used dream boards, mindset, self-love, affirmations, and rituals to create the life she wanted. We also talk about how Logan thinks about fundraising for her business, the role of mentorship in creating a high-growth brand, the challenges she’s overcome, and why she believes that in order to receive, you first have to give. In this episode, we’ll talk to Logan about:* How the uncertainty Logan experienced as a child impacted the woman she is today. [3:00] * The quote that Logan lives by ‘Faith is loyalty to an unseen reality’. [4:36]* How she always found herself drawn to crystals and spirituality from a young age. [6:23]* What motivated Logan to leave home and follow her dreams to LA at the age of 17. [7:32]* The struggles she overcame when she first moved to LA. [8:42]* How she first discovered the law of attraction. [09:51]* How reading other people’s stories helped her get into the right mindset. [11:02]* A quick story from Jasmine about how she overcame debilitating periods. [12:21]* How self-love and affirmations helped Logan create the life she wanted. [15:37]* The full moon and new moon rituals she practiced. [19:02] * The story of how Logan met a jeweler who changed her life and the importance of persistence. [20:15]* How Logan began designing and creating her own jewelry. [25:39]* How she got exposure through influencers even before she had a website. [27:48] * Logan’s belief that in life, in order to receive you have to first give. [29:06]* How she managed to fund and create her early orders. [30:07]* Logan’s advice for anyone who has a similar dream but no funding. [31:44]* The importance of following your bliss and how this leads to opportunities and miracles. [32:15]* Some of the biggest challenges that Logan has overcome as an entrepreneur. [34:22]* How Logan is funding her business. [36:51]* The role of mentorship in Logan’s business. [38:07]* How Logan’s most proud of the alchemy of creating her destiny. [39:34]* Why Logan believes that wealth means more choices. [41:03]* The story of Logan’s trip to India and why she believes that the best way to get out of a rut is to help people who are worse off than you. [41:43]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 BEHINDHEREMPIREFollow Logan:* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/loganhollowell/* Website: https://www.loganhollowell.com/ Follow Yasmin:* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yasminknouri/* Stay updated & subscribe to our newsletter: https://www.behindherempire.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dubbed by the New York Times as ‘the woman who dresses America’, Jenna Lyons, is a fashion icon and the co-founder/CEO of the beauty brand, LoveSeen. Having kicked off her career as an intern at Donna Karan, Jenna went on to join the design team at J.Crew, eventually becoming its President. She is recognized as the main driver behind its incredible rise to success, and is a regular feature in print and online media, including having been recognized as one of Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people.After 27 years at J.Crew, Jenna was finally ready to start her own empire. She launched her company LoveSeen, a direct-to-consumer beauty brand that is reinventing fake lashes, which was largely inspired by her genetic condition that impacts her lash growth. And she was most recently, the Executive Director and main star of her reality competition show, Stylish with Jenna Lyons on HBO Max.  On today’s episode, you’ll hear how Jenna’s challenging childhood experiences shaped who she is and how she experiences the world today, including her attitude to finances and her love for fashion. She tells us what it was like to live in New York in the 1980s and discover a new standard of beauty which was largely different from the beach town she grew up in. Jenna reveals what it was like to work with Mickey Drexler, former CEO and Chairman of J.Crew Group, the skills she needed to develop to manage the people she worked with, and what it was like to enter the public eye. You’ll also hear why Jenna decided to reinvent herself later in her career, how she overcame the most difficult transition in her life when she left J.Crew, what she loves about working in beauty when compared with fashion, and the biggest lessons she’s learned on running her entrepreneurial ventures.In this episode, we’ll talk to Jenna about: * The impact of Jenna’s mother’s attitude towards financial independence on how she approaches money today. [3:10]* How knowing you can take care of yourself affects fear and trust in relationships. [4:30]* The poignant experience of interest in her work and style when she began to make clothes after growing up feeling unattractive. [5:20]* What it was like to grow up with a genetic disorder and how sewing a skirt led to a popular girl in school asking Jenna to make one for her too. [6:40]* What it was like to live in New York in the late 1980s. [9:04]* How Jenna didn’t meet the standard of beauty in the beach town she grew up in. [10:30]* The discovery of Antonio Lopez as a pivotal point in discovering her own beauty. [11:38]* How she came to intern at Donna Karan and study at Parsons University in the 90s. [12:35]* The listing that led Jenna to take a job at J.Crew without asking about the salary. [13:35]* Why she was so unhappy at the start of her career at J.Crew. [15:48]* The dramatic change at J.Crew that completely turned things around [17:20]* What it was like working with Mickey Drexler (CEO of JCrew); his alchemy skills, attunement, and insight. [18:18]* Jenna’s lifelong drive to make beautiful things that she could be proud of. [18:43]* How she needed to develop skills to manage people she worked with. [21:20]* What she learned from Mickey’s desire to hear from everyone. [22:18]* Entering the public eye starting with Domino Magazine, then Vogue with Annie Leibovitz, and the internal struggle Jenna experienced. [25:01]* Find out how Jenna navigated different transition periods in her life. [28:29]* The nine-month period of silence that helped her regroup and see what’s important. [29:10]* Being approached to do television and what it was like to shoot the reality show. [31:43]* What Jenna loves about the beauty scene: she doesn’t have to think about size. [36:05]* How Jenna realized the significance of eyelashes and decided to start her business. [37:00]* The areas of running her own business that are new to her and how she is learning new things along the way. [40:50]* How admitting that you don’t know things can open you up to learn new things. [42:00]Follow Jenna:* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennalyonsnyc/* Website: https://loveseen.com/ * LoveSeen Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/loveseen/* Stylist by Jenna HBO Max: https://www.stylishwithjennalyons.com/ Follow Yasmin:* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yasminknouri/* Stay updated & subscribe to our newsletter: https://www.behindherempire.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Reham Fagiri is the Founder and CEO of AptDeco, an online marketplace that eliminates the hassle of buying and selling furniture. Reham always knew she wanted to build something but never knew exactly what it would be. The idea for AptDeco came to Reham after she finished business school at Wharton and was preparing to move to New York. Desperate to sell her furniture, she used Craigslist, and was met with strangers coming to her house, heavy negotiations, cancellations, and even moments that compromised her safety. When speaking to her colleagues, she realized so many of her classmates were dealing with the same frustrations. Although she accepted a job with another start-up, Reham became obsessed with the idea of creating a better platform to buy and sell furniture. Fast forward to today, AptDeco has morphed from a scrappy team poaching furniture sales from Craigslist to now being a leading marketplace that provides a seamless experience from buying to selling to delivery of furniture.We talk to Reham about how she got the idea off the ground with very little money, some of the hurdles she hit when it came to scaling the business, how to really engage with your customers and create a trusted brand that people truly want, and so much more.In this episode, we’ll talk to Reham about: * Reham shares about her life growing up in Sudan and the exposure she had to entrepreneurship [2:46]* Why Reham decided to leave her reputable job at Goldman Sachs to pursue business school [4:22]* The importance of having exposure to different opportunities and people when thinking about career changes [7:47]* How the idea of AptDeco came to life and how she decided to test the concept before spending more time and resources towards it [8:42]* Reham discusses why she felt comfortable taking the risk to build the business despite the massive amount of school debt she has [22:30]* The motivations around starting Y Combinator and the biggest lesson she learned: meet your customers [27:14]* Reham shares her best advice when it comes to connecting with your customer & some of the mistakes she made in the process [30:20]* How Reham created awareness in the early days & brought in her first few hundred customers [39:22]* The power of word of mouth and referrals in your business vs. paying for your customers [41:47]* Reham discusses the difficulty she faced raising money in the early stages of the business & why that was one of the best things that she experienced [43:04]* How she dealt with the rejections when it came to fundraising & how she deals with the highs and lows of entrepreneurship [48:19]Follow Reham:* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aptdeco/* Website: https://www.aptdeco.com/Follow Yasmin:* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yasminknouri/* Stay updated & subscribe to our newsletter: https://www.behindherempire.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ariel Kaye is the Founder and CEO of Parachute, a direct-to-consumer home essentials brand.After spending a decade in advertising and brand development, Ariel was yearning to do something more. She always considered herself a home and interior design enthusiast, describing herself as a super consumer of home goods, but she struggled to find a single brand that was affordable, high quality, and easy to shop. That’s when she saw a gap in the market and knew she had the perfect skills to create the company she was looking for.She took some money out of her savings and booked a one-way ticket to Europe in search of a factory. After bombarding 15 factories, she learned about craftsmanship when it came to bedding and sheets, got pricing, and came back home, ready to disrupt the industry. She spent around a year developing the brand, raising small amounts from friends and family, and then launched Parachute in January 2014.In our conversation, we talk about Ariel’s “aha” moment when she realized she had to leave her successful career to start her company, the benefits that come with being a first-time entrepreneur in an industry where you have zero experience, how she built a strong foundation with her customers and brand from day 1, and so much more.In this episode, we’ll talk to Ariel about: * How her parents supported Ariel to pursue her entrepreneurial dreams. [2:40]* The common thread of storytelling and connection in her advertising career that carried over into Parachute. [3:58]* The moment Ariel realized that she had to leave her job in order to start a company. [5:25]* Hear more about the early days of Parachute and what Ariel’s initial steps were. [7:37]* What her experience of finding a factory and learning about supply chains was like. [10:23]* How she funded the first year of her business using loans from friends and family. [14:01]* Ariel shares some of the tools and resources that helped her as a solo founder. [16:25]* The benefits of finding a community of entrepreneurs that are still connected to the stage of the journey that you are currently in. [17:49]* Where Ariel believes her resilience comes from; using challenges as fuel for the fire. [18:54]* Ariel’s advice for entrepreneurs raising capital: take every opportunity to pitch your business and receive feedback. [20:58]* Find out how her passion and conviction as a founder helped her get her first yes. [23:36]* What Ariel wishes she knew about capital when she started her fundraising process. [25:07]* How she created brand awareness by leaning on public relations for the launch. [27:18]* What self-care looks like for Ariel and why she promotes the value of taking breaks. [29:07]* Why Ariel says that there is no such thing as perfection; it’s all about momentum. [32:13]* Some of the biggest growth inflection and hiring challenges Ariel has encountered along the way and how she overcame them. [35:44]* Which superpower she is most proud of: trusting her gut and her intuition. [37:19]* Ariel’s definition of wealth: health and happiness. [38:20]Follow Ariel:* Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arielkaye/* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/parachutehome/ * Website: https://www.parachutehome.com/Follow Yasmin:* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yasminknouri/* Stay updated & subscribe to our newsletter: https://www.behindherempire.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.