Dear FoundHer...Real Founder Stories for Women Small Business Owners

Lindsay Pinchuk | Female Founder & Small Business Marketing Expert
  • 0.0 (0)
  • ENTREPRENEURSHIP
  • UPDATED TWICE WEEKLY

Dear FoundHer… is a How I Built This–style podcast sharing real stories from female entrepreneurs, female founders, and women in business, especially women 40+, who are building companies on their own terms. Hosted by award-winning entrepreneur Lindsay Pinchuk, each episode features honest, thoughtful conversations with women CEOs and founders navigating leadership, decision making, career pivots, and business growth. These are the stories behind the success, the lessons, the marketing strategies that actually work, and the leadership moments that shape women building and leading businesses. From Bobbi Brown to Rebecca Minkoff, Peloton’s Jenn Sherman & Dr. Becky Kennedy to Gail Simmons, Dear FoundHer… brings you conversations with some of the most influential female founders and leaders of our time. Dear FoundHer… explores what it looks like to grow a business with clarity and confidence, from starting a company for the first time or after leaving corporate, to scaling responsibly, managing teams, building visibility, getting press, and creating sustainable growth. Topics include leadership development, confidence at work, business strategy, marketing strategies and tactics, company messaging, community building, and showing up confidently. There’s no fluff. No gatekeeping. Just real insight, shared perspective, and practical wisdom, because building businesses is better when women learn from each other. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. 13 HR AGO

    The Marketing System That Built Two Businesses: How I Use SWEEP to Grow My Audience, Get Press, and Scale Without Burning Out

    Before you dive in, grab your free spot at my SWEEP Workshop on April 9th, the marketing framework that makes everything you're about to hear actionable for your own business. REGISTER HERE. What does it actually take to grow an audience, get press, and scale a business, without a massive team or a marketing budget? In this episode, Lindsay Pinchuk pulls back the curtain on the exact system she used to build her first company, Bump Club and Beyond, from a $500 idea into a 7-figure brand working with Target, Nordstrom, Huggies, and Unilever. The real founder story behind the framework? She didn't know she had a system until after she sold the company. That system is SWEEP, and in this solo episode, Lindsay breaks down how she's applied it, on purpose this time, to grow Dear FoundHer… from a passion project podcast into a full community, events platform, and mentorship program. This is a masterclass in founder visibility, growing an audience without paid ads, managing rapid growth as a solo operator, and building a publicity strategy from scratch. If you're a woman startup founder who feels like you're doing all the things but not getting the traction you deserve, this episode is the one you've been waiting for. In This Episode, You'll Learn: The real founder story behind SWEEP, how Lindsay built a 7-figure business while serving as her own marketing department, with little more than a couple of contractors by her sideWhy SWEEP was born out of necessity: what bootstrapping, scrappiness, and zero budget actually looks like in practiceHow Lindsay leveraged press relationships from her first company to land TV segments and build immediate credibility when launching Dear FoundHer…The intentional decision to launch with interview-only episodes for an entire year, and the audience growth strategy behind itHow listener demand for real-life connection led to live events, and how those events became the catalyst for expanding into workshops, an online community, and mentorshipThe five-part SWEEP framework: Social Media, Website, Email, Events, and Partnerships + Publicity, and how to apply it to every piece of content you createWhat managing rapid growth actually looks like when you're a founder who is also your own marketing teamHow to build a publicity strategy that doesn't require a PR agency or a big budgetWhy company messaging and consistency across every touchpoint is the real driver of scaling challenges, and how to solve it If You Loved This Episode: Share it with a woman startup founder in your life who needs a real marketing system, not another hack. And if you haven't yet, scroll down and leave a 5-star rating and review on Apple Podcasts. It's the single biggest thing you can do to help other women find this show. Everything you just heard in this episode? It's SWEEP in action. Join me on April 9th for a free live SWEEP Workshop where I'll teach you the exact framework that makes marketing simple, consistent, and effective for women business owners just like you. Register for free, and I'll see you there. Subscribe to The FoundHer Files  Follow Dear FoundHer on Instagram  This episode originally ran on April 18, 2023. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    29 min

  2. 1 DAY AGO

    Real Founder Stories: How Jiggy's Kaylin Marcotte Went from Zero to Shark Tank by Mastering Partnerships, Publicity, and Scrappy Growth

    Before you dive in, grab your free spot at my SWEEP Workshop on April 9th, the marketing framework that makes everything you're about to hear actionable for your own business. REGISTER HERE. What happens when a burned-out startup employee discovers jigsaw puzzles as her stress relief, and then decides to completely reinvent the category? You get Jiggy, one of the most creative and scrappy real founder stories we've featured on Dear FoundHer. Kaylin Marcotte is the founder of Jiggy Puzzles, a multi-million dollar brand that transformed the humble jigsaw puzzle into a lifestyle product, a wellness tool, and a platform for emerging female artists. She launched in November 2019, just months before a global pandemic turned puzzles into the hottest product on the internet. She landed in Anthropologie before COVID hit, struck a deal with Mark Cuban on Shark Tank, and built a three-channel business with a team of three. But here's what makes Kaylin's story so compelling for every woman startup founder listening: she did almost all of it without a marketing budget, without paid ads, and without a playbook. Just creativity, partnerships, and a relentless willingness to do the legwork. In this episode, you'll hear: How Kaylin identified a gap in the market and built company messaging around elevating puzzles from a toy aisle product into a lifestyle and wellness brandThe scrappy manufacturing process that got Jiggy off the ground, including negotiating her way onto the end of a factory run to meet impossibly low minimumsHer early publicity strategy, pitching herself, leveraging HARO, and doing her own PR long before she could afford to outsource itHow she grew an audience from day one by baking a built-in partner network into the business model itself, her artistsThe partnership with Anthropologie that changed everything, and how it came directly through Instagram before she'd spent a dollar on adsWhat founder visibility looked like for a one-woman show, and how leaning into organic social and authentic partnerships drove real growthHer Shark Tank experience from start to finish, how she got scouted, what the process was really like, and what happened to her business the night it airedThe real scaling challenges of going from DTC startup to a multi-channel brand in Bloomingdale's, Nordstrom, and Macy'sHow she has managed rapid growth and built a B2B custom business, including a puzzle collaboration with Kacey Musgraves, with a team of just three peopleWhy she believes getting press and building partnerships is a more powerful and sustainable growth strategy than performance marketing will ever beThe honest truth about managing teams as a solo founder, and how freelancers, contractors, and a scrappy mindset have kept Jiggy lean and profitableThis episode is for every woman startup founder who is building something from nothing, trying to figure out how to get press without a PR budget, and wondering if it's really possible to grow an audience without throwing money at ads. Kaylin's answer is a resounding yes, and she gives you the exact roadmap in this conversation. Connect with Jiggy: Instagram: @jiggypuzzlesWebsite: jiggypuzzles.com Everything you just heard in this episode? It's SWEEP in action. Join me on April 9th for a free live SWEEP Workshop where I'll teach you the exact framework that makes marketing simple, consistent, and effective for women business owners just like you. Register for free, and I'll see you there. Subscribe to The FoundHer Files  Follow Dear FoundHer on Instagram  Loved this episode? Share it in your stories and tag @lindsaypinchuk and @dearfoundher. And if you haven't already, subscribe and leave us a five star review, it's how other women startup founders find real stories like this one. This episode originally ran on April 18, 2023. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    49 min

  3. 2 DAYS AGO

    Growing an Audience, Managing Rapid Growth, and Staying True to Your Mission: The Real Founder Story Behind Dudley Stevens

    Before you dive in, grab your free spot at my SWEEP Workshop on April 9th, the marketing framework that makes everything you're about to hear actionable for your own business. REGISTER HERE. If you've ever wondered what it really takes to go from a kitchen table idea to a brand with a cult following, this episode is your blueprint. Lauren Dudley-Stevens and Khaki Dudley-McGrath, co-founders of Dudley Stevens, are two of the most refreshingly honest women startup founders you'll ever hear from. They started with a simple observation, stylish fleece didn't exist, and turned it into a thriving, self-funded direct-to-consumer brand that women are obsessed with. No outside investors. No big marketing budget. Just real founder stories, scrappy decisions, and an unwavering commitment to their mission. In this conversation, Host, Lindsay Pinchuk, sits down with Lauren Stephens and Khaki McGrath to unpack exactly how they did it, and what they'd do differently. In this episode, you'll hear: How they tested their product with just 600 pieces before going all in, and why that decision changed everythingThe organic social media and influencer strategy that built their audience from the ground up, without throwing money at adsHow their company messaging and "North Star" has guided every decision they've made for nearly a decade, and how coming back to it has saved them more than onceThe real story of managing rapid growth, including the day they sold out of everything and had to hire high school girls to help pack boxesWhy managing teams with fractional employees and consultants has been one of their smartest scaling decisionsHow their publicity strategy evolved from gifting influencers to building a full affiliate program that drives real revenueThe honest truth about scaling challenges, what happens when you grow too fast and why bigger is not always betterWhat founder visibility actually looks like when you're a product-based brand, and how telling your story is the single most powerful marketing tool you haveWhy getting press and building partnerships has been central to their growth from day one This episode is for every woman founder who is building something real, something slow, and something she actually loves. Whether you're just starting out or navigating the growing pains of a business that's taken off faster than expected, Lauren and Khaki's story will remind you that the best brands aren't built overnight, they're built with intention, consistency, and an unshakeable sense of who you are. Connect with Dudley Stevens: Instagram: @dudleystephensWebsite: dudleystephens.com Everything you just heard in this episode? It's SWEEP in action. Join me on April 9th for a free live SWEEP Workshop where I'll teach you the exact framework that makes marketing simple, consistent, and effective for women business owners just like you. Register for free, and I'll see you there. Subscribe to The FoundHer Files  Follow Dear FoundHer on Instagram  Loved this episode? Share it in your stories and tag @lindsaypinchuk and @dearfoundher. And if you haven't already, subscribe and leave us a five star review, it's how other women startup founders find real stories like this one. This episode originally ran on November 7, 2024. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    44 min

  4. 3 DAYS AGO

    The Founder Visibility Gap: Real Talk on Growing an Audience, Getting Press, and Showing Up for Your Personal Brand

    Before you dive in, grab your free spot at my SWEEP Workshop on April 9th, the marketing framework that makes everything you're about to hear actionable for your own business. Register Here to JOIN US! You Know You Need to Show Up — So Why Aren't You? With Peloton's Jenn Sherman If you've ever felt invisible online despite having something real to say, this episode is for you. Peloton's original instructor Jenn Sherman is back on Dear FoundHer, and this time, we're not talking about her Peloton journey. We're talking about one of the biggest challenges facing women startup founders and entrepreneurs today: founder visibility. Specifically, why so many of us know we need to show up on social media for our personal brand and business, and why we still don't. Jenn made headlines (in our community, at least) when she admitted she had never made a reel. What happened next? An outpouring of real founder stories from women just like her, accomplished, driven, and completely paralyzed when it comes to social media. In this conversation, Host, Lindsay Pinchuk and Jenn get real about the imposter syndrome, the overwhelm, and the very practical steps that finally got Jenn moving. Because here's the truth: growing an audience doesn't require perfection, it requires consistency. In this episode, you'll hear: Why founder visibility matters more now than ever, and what's at stake when you go dark on social mediaHow Jenn finally broke through her fear and what happened to her engagement when she didLindsay's 5-step social media challenge designed specifically for founders who feel behindThe connection between company messaging, showing up consistently, and building a community that convertsWhy your publicity strategy starts with your own platforms, before you ever pitch a journalistHow to stop posting and ghosting, and start building real relationships onlineThe simple content banking system that makes growing an audience actually manageable This one is for every woman founder who has ever said "I know I should be doing more," and hasn't yet. Whether you're navigating the scaling challenges of a growing business, trying to get press for the first time, or just figuring out how to manage your time and messaging across platforms, this episode will meet you exactly where you are. Connect with Jenn Sherman on Instagram here. Everything you just heard in this episode? It's SWEEP in action. Join me on April 9th for a free live SWEEP Workshop where I'll teach you the exact framework that makes marketing simple, consistent, and effective for women business owners just like you. Register for free, and I'll see you there. Subscribe to The FoundHer Files  Follow Dear FoundHer on Instagram  If this episode resonated with you, share it in your stories and tag @lindsaypinchuk and @dearfoundher, we want to hear from you. This episode originally ran on March 16, 2023. You can listen to the follow up from this conversation here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    52 min

  5. 4 DAYS AGO

    From Rejection to 26 Locations: How Susie Cakes Founder Susie Sarich Mastered Scaling Challenges, Managing Teams, and Growing an Audience Without a Budget

    Before you dive in, grab your free spot at my SWEEP Workshop on April 9th, the marketing framework that makes everything you're about to hear actionable for your own business. REGISTER HERE What do you do when every bank says no, the SBA tells you baking is "just a hobby," and you still believe in your idea with every fiber of your being? If you're Susie Sarich, you print out your business plan, hand it to anyone who will listen, and you build one of California's most beloved bakery brands anyway. This is one of the most inspiring real founder stories we've ever shared on Dear FoundHer, and it is packed with lessons that every woman startup founder needs to hear. Susie Sarich is the founder and CEO of Susie Cakes, a now-iconic bakery brand with 26 locations across California and Texas and a thriving nationwide shipping business. But before the empire, there was a woman with a dream, her grandmother's recipe cards, and a fierce belief that the West Coast was missing something: simple, from-scratch, Midwest-style baking made with love. In this episode, Susie and Lindsay dig into the real story behind the brand, the scrappy early days, the grassroots publicity strategy that got the word out before social media even existed, and the hard lessons that come with managing rapid growth across dozens of locations. In this episode, you'll hear: How Susie identified a gap in the market and built her company messaging around a mission that has never wavered, connecting through celebrationThe rejection she faced from banks and the SBA, and how she funded her first location anyway through friends, family, and sheer persistenceHer early publicity strategy, including passing out cupcakes in traffic on San Vicente Boulevard and catering events for free to get her product into the right handsHow she grew an audience and built a loyal customer base long before Instagram existed, and what that teaches us about founder visibility todayThe real scaling challenges of going from one location to 26, including how she seeds every new location with experienced team members to protect the brandHer approach to managing teams across multiple states while staying true to the values and culture she built from day oneWhy getting press matters, and how celebrity word of mouth and old-school media became her most powerful growth toolsHow she finally embraced her own founder visibility and what her marketing team had to convince her to doThe nationwide shipping business she resisted for years, and why COVID changed everythingWhat it means to build a legacy brand rooted in the women who came before youThis episode is for every woman startup founder who has been told no, who is figuring out how to scale without losing her soul, and who believes that the best marketing isn't about budget, it's about showing up and serving your community. Susie's story proves that when your mission is real, your product is good, and your values are non-negotiable, the growth will come. It just takes grit, patience, and a really good cupcake. Connect with Susie Cakes: Instagram: @susiecakesWebsite: susiecakes.com Everything you just heard in this episode? It's SWEEP in action. Join me on April 9th for a free live SWEEP Workshop where I'll teach you the exact framework that makes marketing simple, consistent, and effective for women business owners just like you. Register for free, and I'll see you there. Subscribe to The FoundHer Files  Follow Dear FoundHer on Instagram  Loved this episode? Share it in your stories and tag @lindsaypinchuk and @dearfoundher. And if you haven't already, subscribe and leave us a five star review, it's how other women startup founders find real stories like this one. This episode originally ran on December 6, 2022. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    46 min

  6. 10 MAR

    Pivoting With Purpose: Real Founder Stories on Managing Teams, Scaling Challenges & Knowing When to Pivot

    In this episode, host and Founder of Dear FoundHer..., Lindsay Pinchuk, gets real with you about a bump in the road, one of the more relatable real founder stories she's lived through: losing a key team member right when you need them most. Lindsay spent three months onboarding and investing in her new VA, only to receive an email saying she was done with no notice, no transition. As someone who is actively managing rapid growth and navigating the scaling challenges that come with running a small business solo, this hit hard. And she wants to talk about it, because she knows so many of you are in the same boat when it comes to managing teams and finding the right support. Here’s what we cover in this episode: •      The full story: What happened with the VA and what it really means to leave a small business owner without notice •      Why managing teams as a solopreneur is one of the hardest parts of scaling challenges no one warns you about •      What’s changing on the podcast this month (and why it’s actually a good thing) •      Lindsay's 5-tip framework for pivoting with purpose when your plan suddenly changes Subscribe to The FoundHer Files  Follow Dear FoundHer on Instagram  Get on the waitlist for Lindsay's mastermind, Marketing Made Simple for Small Business. Applications for the new cohort open soon. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    16 min

  7. 5 MAR

    The Power of Niching Down: How Dr. Amy Robbins Built Professional Credibility Beyond Building an Audience | From the Forum

    Niching down is often the move founders resist most, especially when they are already building an audience and seeing traction. In this Dear FoundHer conversation, Lindsay Pinchuk talks with Dr. Amy Robbins, host of the Life, Death & the Space Between podcast, about how niching down became the turning point in her business. What started as a passion project evolved into a focused, revenue-generating offer once she stopped trying to serve everyone and began speaking directly to one specific group. Dr. Amy Robbins spent years building an audience through her show and growing her visibility in the spiritual space. The credibility was there, but the next step was unclear. Through a series of intentional career pivots, she recognized that therapists were asking for structured training in spiritually informed therapy. Niching down allowed her to create a continuing education program that strengthened her professional credibility and made her offer practical and professionally valuable. This conversation also explores the internal shifts behind the strategy. After experiencing exhaustion in private practice, she stepped back to create space for clearer decision-making and a path toward growth without burnout. If you are a founder with momentum but no defined direction, this episode offers a great example of how niching down can sharpen your message, simplify your marketing, and create sustainable growth built on focus rather than volume. Episode Breakdown: 00:00 Dear FoundHer From the Forum and Dr. Amy Robbins’ Founder Story 01:24 From Private Practice to Spirituality and Building a Podcast Platform 02:38 Turning a Podcast Into a Business Without Taking More Therapy Clients 06:53 Taking a Sabbatical to Create Clarity and Build the Right Offer 09:47 Pivoting From B2C to B2B With Spiritually Informed Therapy Training 11:19 Using Continuing Education Credits to Drive Course Demand 14:02 Building a Therapist Community and a B2B2C Referral Model 22:10 Leveraging Podcast Guests for Partnerships and Business Growth 27:21 Mindset, Comparison, and Staying Focused on Your Own Growth Path Connect with Dr. Amy Robbins: Follow Dr. Amy on Instagram Listen to Life, Death & The Space Between with Dr. Amy Robbins Subscribe to The FoundHer Files  Follow Dear FoundHer on Instagram  Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    38 min

  8. 3 MAR

    Real Founder Stories: How Elyce Arons Built Kate Spade, The Power of Getting Press, And How She Started Over After Loss

    For simple actionable tips to grow your business, subscribe to The FoundHer Files  Attention from the media can change the trajectory of a brand, but it is rarely the full story. In this episode of Dear FoundHer, Lindsay Pinchuk sits down with Elyce Arons to talk about what getting press really did for her business and how it influenced long term growth. If you are focused on founder visibility and questioning how getting press translates into revenue, this conversation offers valuable insight. Elyce shares one of the most grounded real founder stories about building Kate Spade and later launching Frances Valentine. She shares stories of meeting Katie in college, how the business really started in Katie and Andy’s loft, and how getting press created credibility and momentum for the handbag company, especially in a pre-social media era.  Elyce explains that disciplined execution turned that visibility into demand. Publicity can spark interest, but managing rapid growth is what determines whether a company can sustain it. They also discuss scaling responsibly when cash flow is tight and every decision carries so much weight. Elyce reflects on motherhood and entrepreneurship and how her priorities evolved as her business grew. This episode is for founders who want stronger visibility, are navigating expansion, or are thinking carefully about how to build something that lasts well beyond early recognition. Episode Breakdown: 00:01 Elyce Arons On Building Kate Spade And Starting Over With Frances Valentine 02:03 From Kansas To New York: The Friendship That Started It All 10:27 The Small Branding Choice That Made Kate Spade Instantly Recognizable 12:44 Getting Press Before Social Media: Editorial Coverage As A Growth Engine 16:57 Managing Rapid Growth And The Decision To Sell Kate Spade 20:22 Motherhood And Entrepreneurship After Exit: Identity And Chapter Two 25:05 Leading Frances Valentine Through Loss And Protecting Katie’s Legacy 41:29 3 Lessons For Women Founders On Experience, Funding, And Trusting Your Gut Connect with Elyce Arons: Follow Elyce on Instagram Follow Frances Valentine on Instagram FoundHer Faves: Varley Wide Leg Pants Petite Plume Pajama Set Midi Health Daily Fiber+ Creatine Menopause Survival Kit The Menopsychologist Upskill Developmental Join our online networking community: Dear FoundHer Forum  Follow Dear FoundHer on Instagram Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    44 min
See All (344)

Trailer

About

Dear FoundHer… is a How I Built This–style podcast sharing real stories from female entrepreneurs, female founders, and women in business, especially women 40+, who are building companies on their own terms. Hosted by award-winning entrepreneur Lindsay Pinchuk, each episode features honest, thoughtful conversations with women CEOs and founders navigating leadership, decision making, career pivots, and business growth. These are the stories behind the success, the lessons, the marketing strategies that actually work, and the leadership moments that shape women building and leading businesses. From Bobbi Brown to Rebecca Minkoff, Peloton’s Jenn Sherman & Dr. Becky Kennedy to Gail Simmons, Dear FoundHer… brings you conversations with some of the most influential female founders and leaders of our time. Dear FoundHer… explores what it looks like to grow a business with clarity and confidence, from starting a company for the first time or after leaving corporate, to scaling responsibly, managing teams, building visibility, getting press, and creating sustainable growth. Topics include leadership development, confidence at work, business strategy, marketing strategies and tactics, company messaging, community building, and showing up confidently. There’s no fluff. No gatekeeping. Just real insight, shared perspective, and practical wisdom, because building businesses is better when women learn from each other. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Information

You Might Also Like