The She Leads Podcast: Real Conversations with Women Entrepreneurs Adrienne Garland

Understanding how to build a sellable business is a game changer. 
Carrie Kerpen is the founder of The Whisper Group, an exit-readiness advisory firm dedicated exclusively to women-owned businesses.

Carrie has built and sold one of the world's first social media agencies and has continued helping female founders build and sell their businesses and live their lives fully. She is on a mission to get as much money in the hands of women as possible. 

Carrie has been a great friend and supporter of Adrienne and the She Leads LIVE conferences from the early days and has contributed her wisdom consistently.

Carrie says that women often start businesses driven by passion but rarely think about how they will exit. It's imperative to consider an exit strategy from day one. Creating sellable businesses rather than focusing on immediate monetization is a key point Carrie is very passionate about.

She says that so much about exiting is not just about the business but about us personally and being honest and relatable rather than projecting an overly polished image.

Many business owners face regret post-exit due to lack of financial planning. Women must realize that small businesses can exit with six times more value and we need to embrace the idea of extracting wealth from our businesses in order to provide the security and power for ourselves and our families that we so rightly deserve.
Notes:🌸 The visualization exercise at the first She Leads LIVE event changed many lives: the power of women circles.  03:37🤯 Getting married in front of 5000 people on the Minor League New York Mets field: sponsorships and charity funds raised and the birth of Carrie’s SM agency. 06:30⏰ Timing is crucial: people who are prepared to capitalize on starting movements are the people who truly succeed. 10:45🌟 The growth of Carrie’s company Likable Media was fast: switching gears to a side project and finding her passion and life purpose. 11:51🔑 In The Whisper Group, women are sharing real experiences on business exits: providing women with the freedom to make choices is the key. 16:07🙃 Do you think about how your business will end? The education-then-monetization approach was mind-shifting for Carrie. 19:33⚠️ Challenges of exit strategies: plan your exit properly to avoid regret for selling the business.  23:52✌️ We should normalize seeing exits for 6-7 figures for smaller businesses. 26:497️⃣ Seven tenets are required to build a healthy, scalable and saleable business. 29:50😇 Anticipatory anxiety is so much worse than actual reality. 31:42👩‍💼 Being a businesswoman, leader, and mom: the trick is having all the family participate in the work and family life. 33:19🛑 Prioritizing business brings guilt in women: we put things on ourselves and that is just too much. 35:46
Links: 
Connect with Carrie: www.linkedin.com/in/carriekerpen
Website: www.wearethewhispergroup.com
Personal website: www.carriekerpen.com
Gap reports: www.closetheexitgap.com 
Connect with Adrienne: https://www.sheleadsmedia.com
Listen to podcasts for women by women on the She Leads Podcast Network: https://www.sheleadspodcasts.com

Join Us at She Leads LIVE 2024 in NYC - Oct. 17 - 19th. Get Your Early Bird Tickets TODAY!
https://bit.ly/SheLeadsLIVE2024
> "I love ❤️ Adrienne and The She Leads™ Podcast!” If that thought crossed your mind at any time while listening to our special show, can I ask you to please take a moment and give our podcast some love? To do so, simply Rate, Review & Follow Us on Apple Podcasts & Spotify. Taking this simple action helps my team and I to spread the word about all the incredible guests of The She Leads Podcast and contributes overall to helping women leaders and entrepreneurs everywhere! 🗺️ Also, if you haven’t done so already, please +follow the podcast so you never miss an episode. Thank you so much!! XO -Adrienne 

Don’t be afraid to take control of your financial life. 

Stephanie Xenos - Money Muse is a retired rocket scientist turned women's personal finance expert obsessed with helping women reach financial independence. She seeks to empower women of all ages and diverse backgrounds to jumpstart their journey toward financial freedom. 

Stephanie shares her life story and how she chose to study physics in college, thinking it would lead to high earnings. During her work at SpaceX, she invested significantly in her future Stephanie retired at 32 and decided to help other women achieve financial independence.

There is a different perspective on retirement or taking breaks or sabbaticals instead of following a traditional work-retirement path. Leveraging your career to gain financial freedom is not hard. According to Stephanie, there is no need for having a financial advisor but with a bit of learning and time, building portfolios is not hard at all. 

Stephanie invested for 14 years so she could fully ‘retire’. While she focused intently on living a super-frugal lifestyle in order to heavily invest, she advises against sacrificing pleasures for the sake of investing. Rather, she promotes a mindful and more balanced approach to spending and investing in order to enjoy life both today and tomorrow.
 
It would be wonderful for young women to get educated on investing early in life so that they can gain financial independence. When women have extra funds, they are more likely to invest in their families and their communities. With economic power, women will help humanity. Stephanie’s life and her commitment to women and their financial empowerment shows us that the sky is the limit - so let's go for it!
Show notes:🚀 Stephanie is a retired rocket scientist who chose one of the hardest majors in college. 04:14🆚 Fear vs. desire: fear is an incredible motivator, but not a good place to stay. 06:01👱‍♀️ Starting investing at 18: Stephanie was able to retire early and discovered her passion for helping women.  07:47🔥 F.I.R.E. stands for Financial Independence, Retire Early: investments don’t have to be perfect.  09:10🤓 Take your finances in your hands now: beware of fees - they can eat away at your returns.13:01😇 You can manage your portfolio on your own; there’s no need for a financial advisor. 15:22⚠️ Not having proper information on what to do with money and who to trust are the primary reasons women don’t invest. 18:54💲 Increasing the number of women millionaires is important: It took 14 years for Stephanie to retire. 19:59⏰ Having the help of coaches can be a game-changer for your business: the best time for investing is now. 26:36⚖️ Stephanie sacrificed a lot to achieve financial independence quickly, but now she recommends balancing saving with enjoying life. 31:36🧠 Finding the balance between happiness and consumerism: how to spend your money wisely. 36:13😍 Seeing investing as fun: Stephanie prepares group courses to help women more. 36:55
Links: 
Website:        themoneymuse.co/speaking 
Social media handles: @money__muse 
Connect with Adrienne: https://www.sheleadsmedia.com
Listen to podcasts for women by women on the She Leads Podcast Network: https://www.sheleadspodcasts.com

Join Us at She Leads LIVE 2024 in NYC - Oct. 17 - 19th. Get Your Early Bird Tickets TODAY!
https://bit.ly/SheLeadsLIVE2024
> > "I love ❤️ Adrienne and The She Leads™ Podcast!” If that thought crossed your mind at any time while listening to our special show, can I ask you to please take a moment and give our podcast some love? To do so, simply Rate, Review & Follow Us on Apple Podcasts & Spotify. Taking this simple action helps my team and I to spread the word about all the incredible guests of The She Leads Podcast and contributes overall to helping women leaders and entrepreneurs everywhere! 🗺️ Also, if you haven’t done so already, please +follow the pod

Therapy is for everyone, including entrepreneurs, and not something to be ashamed of.

Dr. Nathilee Caldeirais a licensed psychologist and the founder and CEO of Let's Talk Psychological Wellness. Dr. Caldeirashares her journey from emigrating from Guyana at 19 to becoming a successful psychologist in New York. She started studying business, but she switched to psychology after a beautiful class experience and working at a camp for children who experienced trauma.

Bringing together the two disciplines of business and therapy, she created her hugely successful NYC private practice to gain more flexibility and positively impact more lives directly.  However, Dr. Caldeira soon faced overwhelming demand, leading her to expand and hire additional therapists - which was very challenging.

Nathilee now seeks a more balanced approach to business as she is focused on optimally serving both clients and her employees. For her, there is great importance in defining personal success, valuing time over constant growth, and honoring the different seasons of life when making business decisions. Nathilee’s experience with the importance of self-reflection, adaptability, and prioritizing well-being is a great lesson for all entrepreneurs. 

As women, we're often conditioned to keep pushing forward without considering how our goals and circumstances evolve. We have the freedom to redefine success and shape our businesses in a way that aligns with our personal values and life stages. Let’s use our inner power and command of our choices to create the life we desire! 
Show notes:👧🏽 Nathilee emigrated from Guyana at 19 years old: how her grandmother helped her take that journey.  04:09🎓 She changed her major to psychology because of her experience of working with children who have been impacted by trauma. 06:11👩🏽‍⚕️ After 10 years, she moved from research to clinical practice and soon started hiring other therapists in a group practice to impact more people. 09:32⚡ Hiring one person at a time helped in managing other therapists. 14:34😷 The impact of Covid: Nathilee’s staff quickly doubled. 19:22🌸 We have the privilege to ask ourselves: what do I want my business to look like? 24:11⚠️ Time is probably the most valuable asset for a business person. 26:59😍 Our needs are changing as we go: it's freeing to be able to change your trajectory. 28:58🤓 People want to talk to someone who looks like them, but only 15% of psychologists are people of color. 36:49
Links:
Talking For Wellness: www.talkingforwellness.com
Connect: www.instagram.com/talkingforwellness 
Connect with Adrienne: https://www.sheleadsmedia.com
Listen to podcasts for women by women on the She Leads Podcast Network: https://www.sheleadspodcasts.com

Join Us at She Leads LIVE 2024 in NYC - Oct. 17 - 19th. Get Your Early Bird Tickets TODAY!
https://bit.ly/SheLeadsLIVE2024
> "I love ❤️ Adrienne and The She Leads™ Podcast!” If that thought crossed your mind at any time while listening to our special show, can I ask you to please take a moment and give our podcast some love? To do so, simply Rate, Review & Follow Us on Apple Podcasts & Spotify. Taking this simple action helps my team and I to spread the word about all the incredible guests of The She Leads Podcast and contributes overall to helping women leaders and entrepreneurs everywhere! 🗺️ Also, if you haven’t done so already, please +follow the podcast so you never miss an episode. Thank you so much!! XO -Adrienne 

 Your personality is in your business.

Kai Fuentes is the President and Founder of Ebony Marketing Systems, Inc., a multicultural market research firm. With her experience in researching a broad perspective on African American consumer issues, from music, and health, to automobiles, she has specific cultural insights into the research arena, which facilitates ethnic-bound perceptions and attitudes of multicultural communities. She also conducts multicultural market research in various languages, giving a voice to underserved communities and helping them get better living conditions. 

Kai’s sparkling personality empowers those around her, but she was not always kind to herself until she discovered the transformative power of self-awareness and positive self-talk. Replacing negative thoughts with positive ones is crucial, especially for women. Inner work and healing significantly can help in the growth of one’s business. Women must discover their own leadership styles, support their teams, give and receive compliments, and most importantly, value servant leadership by listening to their teams and intuition. Business leaders are like conductors creating a symphony, and that requires the efforts of many people.

So let's connect by building each other up, not by self-deprecation.
Show Notes:
👧🏽 Kai is a second-generation market researcher: Kai’s mom is a black Latina who opened her own market research company back in the 80s. 04:43👀 When Kai’s trajectory changed: a car accident and subsequent biofeedback therapy positively changed her life. 09:07 🌸 The more we know about ourselves, the more we can help our business: your business will thrive when you beat the challenges in front of you. 13:26⚠️ Women are queens of beating themselves up: Kai’s 3:1 cure for this is very powerful. 17:39😍 Power of complimenting others and accepting compliments from others. 23:50😇 Kai’s conversations with people in Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese, Haitian, Creole, and Korean: some people are not heard and no one is advocating for them. 28:30👩‍💼 Adrienne’s dream of showcasing amazing leaders through a book or a documentary: we are only as good as our team is. 31:41🎶 As leaders, we are conductors - we are creating a symphony: be confident in your intuition’s calm voice.  34:29💎 Tips for all entrepreneurs for growing: the power of listening to 3–5 clients and putting your ego aside. 40:43
Links:
www.linkedin.com/in/kai-k-fuentes-b80b2929 
www.ebonysystems.com
Get Your Tickets to She Leads LIVE 2024 | NYC: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/she-leads-live-2024-conference-for-women-entrepreneurs-and-leaders-nyc-tickets-804287103377?aff=oddtdtcreator 
>> "I love ❤️ Adrienne and The She Leads™ Podcast!” If that thought crossed your mind at any time while listening to our special show, can I ask you to please take a moment and give our podcast some love? To do so, simply Rate, Review & Follow Us on Apple Podcasts & Spotify. Taking this simple action helps my team and I to spread the word about all the incredible guests of The She Leads Podcast and contributes overall to helping women leaders and entrepreneurs everywhere! 🗺️ Also, if you haven’t done so already, please +follow the podcast so you never miss an episode. Thank you so much!! XO -Adrienne 

Shira Yevin, founder of Gritty in Pink, shares her journey as an entrepreneur, musician, and activist. In this latest She Leads Podcast episode, Shira discusses her mission to achieve gender equality in the music industry and the creation of an online marketplace - INPINK - which connects women working in all aspects of the music business with industry pros who are committed to hiring a diverse talent pool of women.

Shira's tenacity, boldness, and belief in her cause have led to significant accomplishments, including investment from Live Nation in her company, Gritty in Pink, as well as the support of influential figures like Melissa Etheridge who is now a strategic advisor. 

In her conversation with Adrienne, Shira emphasizes the importance of being bold, asking for what you want, and not taking no for an answer. This exciting conversation spans several topics including networking, confidence, and asking for what you want. Adrienne & Shira delve into the challenges faced by women in the business world and the importance of being bold and relentless. Shira shares personal stories and insights that will inspire and encourage listeners to step out of their comfort zones and advocate for themselves.

Adrienne and Shira’s challenge to listeners of The She Leads Podcast - Go out and ask for something you want — even if it feels out of reach!
Show notes👧 Shira has been a performer since she was three years old: she loves to lead and she was always happy on the stage. 05:22👩‍🎤 Shiragirl is her all-girl punk rock band: they are in the studio, recording a new album. 06:51🦄 Shira’s band crashed the Vans Warped Tour in a pink RV to open the stage for women-led bands: crusades for carving a space for women in music and other industries.  08:36👩‍💼 Girls in the Hood, beverage business, launching startups, fundraising: Shira loves marketing, sales, and branding. 09:49🎤 Gritty in Pink community pivoted during COVID: fundraising, Instagram events, webinars, support for musicians, and jamming. 10:43💼 Creating a marketplace for women: InPink is a place to find and hire female professionals with specialized talents.12:41⚠️ Ask and you shall receive: Shira is bold & relentless, and she advises women not to take no for an answer. 16:20🌺 Shira’s friend challenged and supported her: women tend to give up too soon. 26:17💪 Today’s challenge is to flex your confidence-muscle: ask for something you want. 30:14💲 NY Tech Week - Shira is the host of event Investor Roundtables: Women Who Wire. 33:12  
Links:
Gritty in Pink: www.grittyinpink.co 
INPINK: www.inpink.com 
Get Your Tickets to She Leads LIVE 2024 | NYC: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/she-leads-live-2024-conference-for-women-entrepreneurs-and-leaders-nyc-tickets-804287103377?aff=oddtdtcreator 
> >> "I love ❤️ Adrienne and The She Leads™ Podcast!” If that thought crossed your mind at any time while listening to our special show, can I ask you to please take a moment and give our podcast some love? To do so, simply Rate, Review & Follow Us on Apple Podcasts & Spotify. Taking this simple action helps my team and I to spread the word about all the incredible guests of The She Leads Podcast and contributes overall to helping women leaders and entrepreneurs everywhere! 🗺️ Also, if you haven’t done so already, please +follow the podcast so you never miss an episode. Thank you so much!! XO -Adrienne 

To have a successful business, the first person we need to learn to lead is ourselves.

Victoria is the CEO of Ugli Ventures, a marketing consultancy for 6-figure female founders, and a podcaster. Victoria focuses on female entrepreneurs and optimizing sales and marketing strategies, team building and leadership development to establish sustainable, profitable 7-figure enterprises. She has cultivated global brands across various sectors and countries including the US, the UK, China, Sri Lanka, the UAE and Mexico. 

Over the course of her career, Victoria has observed that men typically possess a mindset wherein they’re less likely to feel the need to perfect every aspect themselves before delegating tasks. Contrastingly - and generally, women entrepreneurs often feel the need to ‘do it all’ and end up focused on lower level tasks that hinder their businesses momentum. To move more efficiently towards success, it is essential to understand your business from a higher strategic level, envision what success looks like, and rise above the weeds. This high-level perspective allows one to more easily build a scalable marketing machine.

Victoria believes women must do all they can to learn to delegate more effectively and focus on team building to drive business growth. The commitment mindset is something every business owner needs: create the goal, write real numbers down on paper, and check in on them every single week so you can adjust and keep the eye on the prize!

Let’s all commit to delegation for success!
Notes:👩‍💼 Victoria is on a mission to help women entrepreneurs to success by focusing on a more feminine approach to running businesses rather than adopting the male way of working. 04:13🤷‍♀️ How to create a successful marketing department: don’t do things alone - nurture your team.  09:38🗝️ Delegation is the key to growth. 16:27🧐 Hiring a team when you don’t have enough funds: who do you need in the team?  21:07🧠 Setting your mindset up for success. Adopt the founder mindset and hit targets: the line of questioning that gets us to our goals. 29:54⚡ Power of design thinking, setting goals, setting targets, and checking in with them periodically. 34:35🪞 Interact with women that have achieved great things. Find your accountability partner. 36:38⚠️ The process for everyone is the same: no one has all the answers. 41:56
Links:
Website and free guide: www.ugliventures.com/overwhelm 
Connect with Victoria: www.linkedin.com/in/victoria-hajjarConnect with Adrienne: www.sheleadsmedia.com
Get your tickets for the 10th Annual She Leads LIVE conference - NYC October 17-19 https://www.sheleadsmedia.com/she-leads-live-2024
Listen to podcasts for women by women on the She Leads Podcast Network: www.sheleadspodcasts.com 
>> "I love ❤️ Adrienne and The She Leads™ Podcast!” If that thought crossed your mind at any time while listening to our special show, can I ask you to please take a moment and give our podcast some love? To do so, simply Rate, Review & Follow Us on Apple Podcasts & Spotify. Taking this simple action helps my team and I to spread the word about all the incredible guests of The She Leads Podcast and contributes overall to helping women leaders and entrepreneurs everywhere! 🗺️ Also, if you haven’t done so already, please +follow the podcast so you never miss an episode. Thank you so much!! XO -Adrienne