S2 Ep 11: From Hard Hats to Flats | Carla Truitt | Bench to Bold

Send us Fan MailCarla Truitt, founder of Eight Royale, joins Marnie and Alisa to share how sore feet, a music career, and a lot of hustle led her to design a line of stylish, packable flats and why year eight is the year she's finally found her voice.EPISODE NAVIGATION:00:00:07 — Marnie and Alisa introduce Carla Truitt00:02:09 — Carla traces her path from communications student to marketing, marriage, motherhood, and the entrepreneurial vision that grew from it all.00:05:10 — The origin of Eight Royale00:07:30 — Alisa shares her own painful Super Bowl heel story00:11:50 — Carla on what makes Eight Royale different00:14:00 — Marnie coins the new slogan: "Healing without heeling"00:15:11 — Carla reveals she's celebrating Eight Royale's eighth anniversary in 2026 — the lucky number that inspired the name00:18:30 — The bold moments00:23:45 — Carla on her son's football journey at the University of IowaABOUT OUR GUEST:Carla Truitt is a Washington, D.C.-based entrepreneur, founder of Eight Royale, and a woman who has never been afraid to build — whether that's in the music industry, construction, or footwear. Raised in a family of Guyanese immigrants with an entrepreneurial spirit woven through generations, Carla studied communications and marketing before charting her own course. She spent years working behind the scenes in music (including time affiliated with Bad Boy Records), running a construction cleaning service, and raising a son who went on to play Big Ten football at the University of Iowa. Eight Royale — her line of stylish, packable, cushioned flats — was born out of a real need: beautiful shoes that don't cost you your comfort or your dignity at the end of a long night. Now celebrating the brand's eighth year, Carla has stepped fully into the spotlight, traveling, telling her story, and building what she calls a lifestyle brand for women who walk in power and step into purpose.CONNECT WITH CARLA & EIGHT ROYALE:Website: https://eightroyale.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eightroyale/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@eightroyaleFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/eightroyale/Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BenchtoBoldFollow Bench to Bold on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/benchtobold