F5 Collective Presents Women in Business

Beatriz Acevedo was on the cover of a magazine in Mexico City when her credit card was declined at the supermarket. "There I was on the cover of a magazine at the register, and I was just sobbing that I couldn't afford $2 to buy milk." Three Emmys, a hit TV career, and no emergency savings. Decades later, she started over — in her 50s, knowing nothing about finance — and built SUMA Wealth, a platform teaching Latinos how to build it and keep it.In this episode, Beatriz shares:✨ The $2 carton of milk that ended her invincible era✨ Why she enrolled in every online fintech program she could find at 50✨ "It's possible to reinvent yourself at any age"✨ Calling SUMA her "last, last, last startup"✨ Latinos drive GDP growth — and don't have $1,000 saved for an emergency✨ Explaining credit scores with an avocado✨ Why "my daughter is my 401(k)" isn't a joke✨ Her mother's safe deposit box from Costco, and the devaluation behind it✨ Building for youth who become their family's translator, accountant and advocate✨ Why she added Spanish after users kept asking for their moms✨ Growing up at a dinner table where building wealth felt like bad taste✨ Her father's scholarship foundation — and what it could have been✨ Unlearning the habit of putting herself last on her own to-do list✨ Taking SUMA B2B to financial institutions✨ Business Minute: passion and perseverance over talentIf you've ever looked successful on the outside while quietly having no plan, this one is for you.About Beatriz Acevedo: Beatriz Acevedo is CEO and Co-Founder of SUMA Wealth, a financial literacy and wealth-building platform built for Latinos through fintech, digital content, and community. Born in Tijuana and raised on the border, she began her media career as a radio announcer at age eight and went on to win three Emmy Awards. She co-founded and served as president of mitú, the leading digital media brand for young Latinos in the U.S., and is president of the Acevedo Foundation. She was recently honored on the floor of the California State Senate as one of eleven women founders recognized for their work in California.Learn more at https://sumawealth.com/The growth engine for women who mean business.http://www.f5collective.com0:00 The Youth Are the Bet1:50 Born on the Border, Immigrant by Default3:28 What Led to SUMA Wealth4:07 Driving GDP, No $1,000 in Savings4:27 Is Anyone Explaining a Loan in a Meme?5:05 You Can Reinvent Yourself at Any Age5:36 Enrolling in Every Fintech Program She Could Find5:59 My Last, Last, Last Startup6:22 The First Startup: Three Emmys in Her Early 20s7:38 $2 for Milk, and the Magazine Cover at the Register8:20 Radio Announcer at Eight, Because of Ricky Martin8:56 Teaching Finance Through Culture9:27 How Ripe Is Your Credit? The Avocado Video9:42 We Are Not a Bank10:19 When VCs Handed Out Checks Like Halloween Candy10:39 The Demo Nobody Was Serving11:42 The Kids Who Become the Family's Attorney12:10 It's Not Fun. It's Not SUMA.12:33 Changing the Strategy: Going Multigenerational14:43 Why My Daughter Is My 401(k) Isn't a Joke15:55 Teaching Your Own Kids to Start Now17:30 Her Father's Foundation and What It Could Have Been18:22 It's Your Right to Understand How to Do It20:16 Not Putting Herself Last on Her Own To-Do List21:25 What's Next: Taking SUMA B2B22:23 Selling Financial Health to Banks23:56 Passion and Perseverance Over Talent

Ag funding has fallen more than 50% since its 2020 peak, and a lot of the startups that burned through it failed for the same reason: the economics never worked. Jade Marcus designed her way around that problem before she started. Roughly 30% of the world's cement kiln capacity is already sitting idle — infrastructure that's built, paid for, and sitting in nearly every region on earth because cement is too expensive to truck very far. Mafix uses that spare capacity to run chemistry inside the kilns, starting with a climate-smart fertilizer made from cheap, abundant silicate rock.Jade shares:✨ Why she went looking for spare capacity instead of building new infrastructure✨ The 30% idle capacity on cement kilns worldwide — and why it may double✨ Developing the technology behind Mafix during her PhD at Stanford✨ What McKinsey's sustainability practice taught her about scaling climate tech✨ Why "better for the planet" can't mean "more expensive" for the customer✨ Why ag tech funding collapsed — and what those companies got wrong✨ Why you can't go direct to farmer, and who to partner with instead✨ Working with extension agronomists to prove yield in real fields✨ The food security math: staple crops down 3-7%, production needs to rise 60%✨ Her first 1,000-ton deployment inside a commercial cement kiln✨ Doing 100-200 customer interviews before you trust your own numbers✨ The 3:1 rule — for every dollar a farmer spends, they need three back✨ "If you don't need to build it, don't build it"✨ Why someone else's margin is your opportunity✨ Ten days a year in the backcountry, and why real fear beats invented stressWhether you're raising in a down market, selling into an industry that moves slowly, or trying to build something better that doesn't cost more, Jade's approach is a masterclass in using what already exists.About Jade Marcus: Jade Marcus is the CEO and co-founder of Mafix, a mineral conversion platform that runs on the world's spare cement kiln capacity, turning cheap, abundant silicate rock into carbon-negative fertilizer. A chemical engineer by training, she studied at Georgia Tech, worked as an engagement manager in McKinsey's sustainability practice, and developed the technology behind Mafix at Stanford.🌱 Learn more at https://www.mafix.ag/The growth engine for women who mean business.http://www.f5collective.com0:00 "Real Fear, Real Stress": Ten Days Off the Grid0:51 Welcome: Honoring California's Women Founders1:36 Meet Jade Marcus, CEO & Co-Founder of Mafix1:54 Georgia Tech, Oil & Gas, and McKinsey2:26 Why "Better for the Planet" Costs Too Much3:12 Hardware Is Slow. Software Is Instant.3:36 30% Spare Capacity on the World's Cement Kilns5:02 The Real Challenges: Geology and Deployment6:26 Beyond Fertilizer: Anywhere You Need Alkalinity6:46 Astronomer, Marine Biologist, Journalist, Archeologist7:50 Ag Funding Is Down Over 50% Since 20208:21 Why She Didn't Build New Infrastructure8:45 You Can't Go Direct to Farmer10:25 "Naively, I Thought I Could Do This"11:08 Running a Company While Finishing a PhD11:47 Crops Down 7%, Demand Up 60%12:31 How She Actually Handles Stress12:53 Ten Days in the Arctic With No One Around14:04 What's Next for Mafix (They're Hiring)14:56 Business Minute: Know Your Economics15:47 "If You Don't Need to Build It, Don't Build It"16:25 Rapid Five16:50 What She Wishes She Knew: Community

Andrea Brimmer grew up on a farm outside Sacramento, went to college planning to become a lawyer, and left a stable job in wealth management to run a company she'd started while she was still a student. Today Rivida uses NASA-licensed filtration to pull ammonia out of agricultural wastewater and hand farmers back the two things they're running short of: clean water and nitrogen fertilizer.In this episode she talks about walking into rooms full of farmers who take one look and count her out. "I love it when people doubt me and they don't see me coming, and then I just swoop in and I do the thing. Thank you for the secret power. You just gave me a way in."Andrea shares:✨ Why she stopped waiting for the right moment to quit her job✨ "When you have faith, you can't have fear"✨ The mentor who told her she wasn't a lawyer — she was a CEO✨ What Rivida actually does with agricultural wastewater✨ Being a young woman in rooms full of farmers✨ How she turned being underestimated into a way in✨ What farmers told her when she went out and asked✨ Signing a commercialization deal with NASA✨ Getting into the Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator✨ Growing up on a hay and cattle farm 30 minutes from Sacramento✨ How faith and family in Mexico keep her steady✨ Her Business Minute: relationships, brand, and the thank-you note✨ Rapid Five: the hospital visit that ended her plan to be a doctorIf you've been waiting for the right moment to make your move, Andrea's answer is that it isn't coming. You go anyway.About Andrea Brimmer: Andrea Brimmer is the Founder and CEO of Rivida, an agricultural technology company using NASA-licensed filtration to convert agricultural wastewater into clean water and nitrogen fertilizer on site. A California Lutheran University graduate who founded the school's Women in Business Club, she negotiated Rivida's NASA license as a senior and later left a career in finance to build the company full time. Rivida is a member of the Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator's Incubation Cohort 12. In August 2026, Andrea was one of 11 California women founders honored on the floor of the California State Senate by First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom and Senate President pro Tem Monique Limón, in partnership with F5 Collective.🌱 Learn more at https://www.rivida.co/The growth engine for women who mean business.http://www.f5collective.com0:00 I Love It When People Doubt Me0:50 Welcome to F5 Collective Presents Women in Business1:24 Honored on the California Senate Floor2:04 Growing Up on a Hay and Cattle Farm3:18 What Rivida Actually Does3:41 "You Weren't a Lawyer, You Were a CEO"4:24 The Confirmation That Changed Everything4:59 Leaving Finance: "It Was Terrifying"5:47 Trading the 401(k) to Write Her Own Story6:21 Faith, Culture, and "You Can't Have Fear"7:49 Learning to Speak Farmers' Language8:56 "Coming From an Ag Family Opens Doors"9:51 Being a Young Woman: The Secret Power11:00 How She Decompresses11:50 Signing With NASA and Getting Into LACI12:38 Business Minute: Thank You Notes Go a Long Way14:21 Rapid Five17:11 Wrapping Up

Michelle Ruiz spent nine years at ExxonMobil before walking away from Big Oil to build a refinery for food waste. Born in Ecuador, she immigrated to Miami at seven and landed her first Exxon internship as an 18-year-old freshman by refusing to accept that freshmen don't get internships. Today she's CEO and Founder of Hyfé, pulling high-value natural ingredients out of the peels, pulps, and seeds that food processors currently pay to haul away. But the line that stops you isn't about chemistry: "I wasn't meant to follow a predetermined path. I was meant to carve a new path for myself."Michelle shares:✨ The shame she carried about being rebellious — and why it turned out to be the point✨ How to beat imposter syndrome with math instead of affirmations✨ Telling her board she wanted to scrap two years of work and pivot✨ The freezing February in the Dakotas that changed the whole company✨ Why the ingredients label on the back of your food is about to change✨ What she learned about waste at an oil refinery outside Chicago✨ Fixing the food system instead of blaming people's behavior✨ Why therapy is the number one thing she recommends to founders✨ What chronic stress cost her, and what she changed✨ Getting emotional intelligence up to "executive skill" level✨ Finding your founder community before you think you need one✨ The question that matters more than what anyone expects of you✨ Why a small team that follows no rules can outrun a big oneWhether you're mid-pivot, pitching a board, or quietly wondering whether the path you were handed was ever yours, Michelle's story is a case for building the one you actually want.About Michelle Ruiz: Michelle Ruiz is the CEO and Founder of Hyfé, a plant refining company that turns agricultural and food-processing byproducts into high-performance natural ingredients for the food, beverage, personal care, and nutraceutical industries. A chemical engineer by training, she spent nine years at ExxonMobil — including as a chemical engineer at the Joliet Refinery outside Chicago — before founding Hyfé during the pandemic. She is one of the California women founders recognized on the floor of the State Senate and Assembly.🌱 Learn more at https://hyfe.tech/The growth engine for women who mean business.http://www.f5collective.com0:00 Intro & Welcome1:16 From Ecuador to Miami: "So It Was All Worth It"1:58 Freshmen Don't Get Internships. I Do.2:40 Joliet Refinery: Where Waste Clicked3:38 What Hyfé Actually Does4:01 The Rockefeller Lesson: Waste Is Expensive5:02 Billions to Find the Oil, Then We Bury It5:51 Why Food? Following the Sugar7:10 The Pivot: Wastewater to Solid Waste7:53 Freezing in the Dakotas8:09 "What About These Piles of Beet Pulp?"9:19 Telling the Board to Scrap Two Years10:38 The Leap, and Her #1 Advice for Founders11:09 Where the Name Hyfé Came From11:55 Fix the Food, Not the Person12:27 The Shame of Being Rebellious12:54 "I Was Meant to Carve a New Path"13:50 Read the Back of the Package15:23 What's Next: Scaling in the Central Valley17:20 "We're Small, We're Agile, We Follow No Rules"18:19 What Not Decompressing Cost Her19:47 The Business Minute20:27 Get Your EQ to Executive Skill21:09 Rapid Five21:44 Beating Imposter Syndrome22:36 Candy, Dogs, and Goodbyes

Manette McDermott didn't set out to build a food company — she set out to stop her own pain. After eliminating refined sugar reversed her chronic back, hip, and joint pain, this PhD linguist turned the same curiosity she once aimed at how children learn language toward a new question: how do we learn to listen to the language of the gut? The answer became muun chi (pronounced "moon chi") — a Los Angeles maker of 100% organic, raw, plant-based functional foods built on upcycled ingredients and a closed-loop, zero-waste kitchen.In this episode, Manette shares:✨ Why she studies "the language of the gut" the way she once studied the brain✨ "Listen to the whisper before it screams" — her case for prevention over sick-care✨ Quitting sugar for one week and reversing years of pain✨ Discovering that food waste is the #1 landfill — and turning juice pulp and peels into food✨ How a closed-loop kitchen turns coconut kefir into cheeses, kvass, crackers, and kimchi✨ Why she turned down Erewhon rather than add sugar to her products✨ Eastern and Western medicine, the microbiome, and food as medicine✨ Why America never developed its own fermented food — and why that matters✨ Building a community business on word of mouth instead of marketing✨ Her Biz Fit Minute: purpose, intention, and solving the right problem✨ What she wishes she'd known: you don't have to be perfectAbout Manette McDermott: Manette is the founder and creator of muun chi. A first-generation daughter of Chinese immigrants, she holds a BA from Williams College and a PhD in Linguistics from Brown University, and is a certified Health & Wellness Coach through the Institute of Integrative Nutrition. Drawing on both Eastern and Western medicine, she crafts real, functional foods designed to nurture the gut — and the planet. muun chi is a proud member of the Upcycled Food Association.🌱 Learn more at https://www.muunchi.com/The growth engine for women who mean business.http://www.f5collective.com0:00 Cold Open: "I Had to Turn Them Down"0:44 Welcome & Meet Manette1:28 Immigrant Daughter to Linguistics PhD4:45 From the Language of the Brain to the Gut6:41 The No-Sugar Week That Changed Everything8:40 Discovering Upcycling & Food Waste11:49 The Closed-Loop Kitchen & Staying On Mission13:00 Regenerative Farming & Why It's Called Muun Chi15:14 Losing Her Mom & the First Coconut Kefir18:03 Reusable Jars & Building Community20:08 Balancing Eastern & Western Medicine22:18 Why Healthy Food Gets a Bad Rap25:01 Why Processed Food Makes You Overeat30:09 "Factory? Pause. Farm? Go For It."36:48 Erewhon Wanted Sugar — She Said No40:38 Relationships Over Transactions42:50 Off Their Meds: Food as Medicine52:24 The Truth About Probiotics59:18 A Tour of the Products1:05:27 Distribution & Regulation Hurdles1:09:24 Biz Fit Minute: Purpose & the Right Problem1:16:01 Founder Deep Dive: The $500K Question1:23:10 Rapid Five1:29:44 Where to Find Muun Chi

Iva Chen budgeted $250,000 to build out her first Panda Express at SFO. The final bill was $750,000. To cover the gap she took an SBA 7(a) loan, put a lien on her house, and signed over her life insurance policy. "I'm like, I hope this works out, because if it doesn't, I could be homeless."Iva shares:✨ Why the SBA 7(a) loan was harder than construction, permits, and everything else combined✨ The $2 million-a-year sales floor most brands don't know exists before bidding on an airport✨ What a Minimum Annual Guarantee really costs: $350,000 a year on a 724-square-foot space✨ Why airport build-outs run about $2,500 a square foot with no collateral to borrow against✨ The real reason that bottle of water costs $6✨ Bringing Filipino cuisine to SFO and opening in the middle of a pandemic shutdown✨ Renaming "chicken porridge" to "chicken rice soup" and watching sales change✨ Indra Nooyi's advice that stuck with her for 20 years: decide what "good" means, then let go or outsource the rest✨ Asking her daughter what being a good mom actually meant to her✨ Her 10 rules for running your own business, including the "black box" test for what work is worth✨ Why she ranked 4th out of 250 cadets at Fort Knox with her nails painted✨ Living with imposter syndrome in a family business: "My dad might have opened the door, but I had to walk through it"If you have ever been told to just follow your passion, this one adds the part nobody says out loud: know the number you have to hit before you take the swing.About Iva Chen: Iva Chen is the Founder and CEO of Jetsetera Ventures, an ACDBE/DBE/MBE/WBE certified firm specializing in airport restaurant and retail concession development, operations, management, and consulting. She is also Managing Partner at Lady Luck Gourmet, home to Mama Go's Filipino Cuisine at SFO. A licensed CPA who began her career at Deloitte & Touche and spent a decade in corporate finance at CBS Paramount, Nestle USA, and The Capital Group, Iva is a UC Santa Barbara graduate and a Riordan Fellow. She currently works with a portfolio of roughly ten brands looking to enter the airport space, and is writing her first book.Learn more at https://jetseteraventures.com/The growth engine for women who mean business.http://www.f5collective.com0:00 Cold Open: I Could Be Homeless0:31 Welcome + Meet Iva Chen1:19 CPA at Deloitte to Airport Concessions5:11 Building Restaurants in China6:35 Why Airports Are Nothing Like Street-Side7:36 That's Why the Water Costs $68:09 Lady Luck Gourmet and the Goldilocks Bid9:39 Grand Opening Set for March 202012:47 Chicken Porridge to Chicken Rice Soup14:23 HMSHost, Starbucks and the Rise of Local Flavor17:04 Rebranding to Jetsetera Ventures19:06 How a Brand Gets Into an Airport20:11 The $2 Million Rule20:36 Minimum Annual Guarantee: $350,000 a Year25:11 The Book: It Takes a Village, Where's Mine?26:29 Indra Nooyi: Decide What Good Means, Then Let Go27:59 Asking Her Daughter What a Good Mom Is29:12 Building the Village34:13 I Don't Like Being Comfortable34:35 Fort Knox With My Nails Painted38:12 Be Scrappy: The Black Box Test41:10 Budgeted $250K, Came In at $750K41:44 The SBA 7(a): A Lien on the House44:45 Get Money Before You Need It46:37 Imposter Syndrome in a Family Business49:30 What She Looks For in a Brand51:39 Advice When You Can't Afford Help Yet53:43 You Have to Be a Village, Too56:07 Give Yourself Grace

Caroline Turnbull had a 99% recovery score, a half marathon under her belt, and a body that could barely get out of bed. The wearable said she was thriving. She'd been ignoring what her body was telling her for nine months. That gap — between the data and the human — is why she built Mobius, a social fitness app with no leaderboards, no pace splits, and no follower counts.Caroline shares:✨ The question that pushed her out of construction: "If someone launched this company in two years, would I be pissed?"✨ How obsessing over her wearable cost her the mind-body connection✨ Peak metrics, severe anemia, and what her body was saying underneath✨ Why immediacy gets results and then burns you out✨ Taking metrics out of fitness and bringing community in✨ Why comments on Mobius are private — and what that fixes✨ Tearing ACLs, and the family case study that came out of it✨ Knock knees, weak outer hips, and why women tear ACLs more often✨ "All movement counts" — the dishwasher, the move-out, the walk to work✨ Why "locking in" locks everything else out✨ The resilience conversation nobody has: why you got knocked down✨ What she'd do with $500,000 (and why it's all marketing)✨ The financial reality of founding: you don't pay yourself✨ Why she went looking for outside capital at almost 500 users✨ Why investors need to see your delusion, not just your tractionWhether you're building a company, rebuilding a routine, or quietly burning out inside a target you set for yourself, Caroline makes the case for consistency over intensity — in business and in your body.About Caroline Turnbull: Caroline is Co-Founder and CEO of Mobius, the social fitness app built around community instead of metrics. A former Division I field hockey player and a civil and environmental engineer by training, she is also a certified personal trainer, a yoga teacher with 200- and 300-hour trainings, and a software engineer. She built Mobius with Co-Founder and CTO Julia Suozzi, a software engineer and personal trainer who believes walks count too.📲 Download Mobius and learn more at https://mobiusfit.app/The growth engine for women who mean business.http://www.f5collective.com0:00 Cold Open: Would I Be Pissed?0:22 Meet Caroline Turnbull & Mobius1:27 New Jersey, Field Hockey & D1 at Lafayette2:06 The Gap Year That Became Yoga Teacher Training4:25 From Construction to Software Engineering6:39 Three Sisters, Six Surgeries, One Case Study9:37 Knock Knees & Why Women Tear ACLs More12:28 The Desk Moment That Started Mobius14:13 Just Get Started. You'll Learn on the Way.14:44 What Mobius Actually Is15:34 Fitness Isn't Immediate. It's Consistency.18:25 Obsessed With the Data: Life on the Wearable19:22 99% Recovery Score and Severely Anemic23:23 mobi pods: The Dishwasher Counts25:00 Pushback From the Grind Crowd27:45 Nobody Asks Why You Got Knocked Down29:52 Morning Routine: No Phone, Bone Broth, Journal32:10 Wall Pilates, GLP-1s & Fitness Trends37:39 Why Locking In Locks Everything Out40:32 Taking the Leap: Freedom and Choice42:53 Founder Deep Dive: The $500,000 Question44:48 The Reality Nobody Talks About: You Don't Pay Yourself46:13 Raising Capital at Almost 500 Users47:21 Founder Highs, Founder Lows & Legally Blonde51:27 Business Minute: You Need a Level of Delusion53:47 Rapid Five

Sarah Walsh has been a working artist since 2001 — Hallmark Cards, over 20 picture books, a fully illustrated Matilda — and she still says the hardest part isn't the client work. It's protecting the work that's actually yours. "Not working on projects that mean the world to you, over time it's sort of a betrayal of yourself. Every yes is time taken away from what you should be doing."In this episode, Sarah shares:✨ Why every "yes" to the wrong project is a betrayal of yourself✨ "If you don't take a break, you're gonna break"✨ The banana theory of over-researching your next move✨ Why it's more risky to be safe than to leap✨ Leaving a 13-year job at Hallmark after signing with agent Lilla Rogers✨ How a horse meme and a bad night on the floor became a graphic novel✨ Building your own external deadlines to finish personal work✨ Why she skipped the pitch and just printed the zine herself✨ Landing a literary agent from a self-published zine✨ Zines, gatekeeping, and why a pen and a photocopy is enough✨ Running Tigersheep Friends with her partner Colin✨ Buying a Riso printer, naming her Aunt Ruby, and going all-in✨ Wholesale, Patreon, and building a business that forces you to make✨ Where the name Tigersheep Friends actually came from✨ Why what you loved as a kid is the best part of youIf you've ever taken on too much, waited for permission, or shelved the project you actually care about, this one's for you.About Sarah Walsh: Sarah Walsh is a maker of books and illustrated goods based in Kansas City. She has illustrated over 20 picture books and worked with Simon & Schuster, PBS, Penguin Random House, Chronicle, Blue Q, The Guardian and Crate & Barrel, including a fully illustrated edition of Roald Dahl's Matilda. She runs the small-batch illustration shop Tigersheep Friends with her partner and fellow illustrator Colin Walsh, and a monthly Riso print club and SLOMO drawing club through Patreon.🎨 See her work at https://www.sarahwalshmakesthings.com/🐯 Shop at https://www.etsy.com/shop/TigersheepfriendsThe growth engine for women who mean business.http://www.f5collective.com0:00 Cold Open: Every Yes Is Time Taken Away1:11 Working Artist Since 20013:23 Thirteen Years at Hallmark Cards4:26 Lilla Rogers and Quitting the Cushy Job5:24 How Storytelling Became the Thread9:04 Getting Into Books9:58 Love the Bricks You're Building With11:15 Cracking the Author-Illustrator Voice12:01 Zines, No Rules, and No Gatekeeping16:21 "I Don't Balance" — The Honest Answer17:25 Burnout and the Rusted Old Jalopy21:09 If You Don't Take a Break, You're Gonna Break22:25 Leaving Corporate and Facing Clients23:21 We're Trained Not to Trust Our Intuition23:51 The Banana Theory of Over-Researching25:41 It's More Risky to Be Safe27:35 Burned Out and Lost in the Sauce28:26 The Horse Meme That Became a Book30:45 Skipping the Pitch: "I Just Want to Make It"31:35 Building Your Own Deadlines — and Getting an Agent34:44 What You Loved as a Kid Is the Best Part of You37:44 Where "Tigersheep Friends" Came From42:10 Running the Shop and the Risograph Leap44:06 Meet Aunt Ruby, the Riso Printer45:26 Faire, Wholesale, Patreon and the Mail Club49:31 Business Minute: Five Things You Need to Know52:25 Rapid Five56:39 Wrap-Up

Wani Iris Manly, Esq. is an award-winning keynote speaker, internationally recognized change expert, and corporate trainer — and the founder of House of Inspirational Business in Paris. A corporate and IP attorney for over two decades and a serial entrepreneur, Wani famously moved to Paris in 2012 with no contacts, not one word of French, and less than $500 to her name — a leap that led to a TEDx stage, a bestselling book, and a global speaking career. In this episode she gets refreshingly honest about money, burnout, resilience, and why real change starts on the inside.Wani shares:✨ Why it's not the money — it's your nervous system✨ The truth nobody admits: business is hard at every stage✨ Why "rest is productive and highly profitable"✨ Selling everything to move to Paris with no plan and no French✨ How to stop telling yourself change is "hard" and "scary"✨ Why we don't resist change — we fear loss✨ Registering your IP before you make a dime (and why "you're not too small")✨ Protecting your brain first, then licensing your work to monetize it✨ Bootstrapping three companies and building every one to sell✨ Her 24-hour rule for handling money differently✨ Why stillness is your competitive edge in the age of AI✨ "Not working is not an option" — resilience with no trust fund to fall back onWhether you're a founder fighting burnout, a creative sitting on unprotected IP, or someone who feels stuck in survival mode, Wani's story is proof that the life you really want starts with changing how you see change.About Wani Iris Manly: Wani Iris Manly, Esq. is a keynote speaker, change expert, corporate trainer, IP attorney, and bestselling author of Get Out of Survival Mode and Live the Life You Really Want. Based between Houston and Paris, she helps individuals and organizations thrive through change.🌍 Learn more at https://wanimanly.com/The growth engine for women who mean business.http://www.f5collective.com0:00 It's Not the Money, It's Your Nervous System0:27 Welcome & Meet Wani Iris Manly1:11 Five Countries & West African Roots2:00 "I Just Want to Be Happy"2:43 Groomed for Law: A Childhood in Liberia4:29 Why IP Law: The Coca-Cola Professor7:08 "You're in Business Because of Your Brain"8:14 Where Inspiration Meets Law11:02 Leaving the "Shark" & Going Solo12:23 The Spiritual Turning Point14:12 Survival Mode & the New Year's Eve Ritual15:45 Following the Signs to Paris16:20 Writing Her First Book in 30 Days18:33 From Lawyer to Speaker in Paris21:51 Resilience: "Not Working Is Not an Option"23:08 The Ralph Lauren "Download"25:09 Six Years Later: An Offer to Buy the Business27:53 Helping People Through the Fear of Change32:19 Four More Books & a Paris Photo Project34:43 Founder Deep Dive: The $500K Question36:59 The Financial Reality Nobody Talks About38:21 Bootstrapping & Building to Sell41:22 Business Minute: Register Your IP Early42:57 Slow Down to Go Faster43:39 Rapid Five47:15 Wrap-Up & Wani's Gift for Listeners

Wanata Parker has spent over 30 years in the beauty industry — and became the first stylist to bring Japanese Straightening (thermal reconditioning) to African American hair, at a time when everyone said it couldn't be done. From New York to Washington, D.C. to Beverly Hills, she built a nationally recognized reputation entirely on word of mouth, with clients who've stayed in her chair for 20+ years. Today she runs Hair by Wanata Studio inside Salon Republic in Beverly Hills — and in recent years has taken her gift on mission trips to Tanzania and South Africa, helping women and girls reconnect with their own beauty and worth.In this episode, Wanata shares:✨ Why "I don't like the word can't" became the foundation of her career✨ Pioneering Japanese Straightening on African American hair✨ Being told she'd "never be anything in this business" — and outlasting it✨ Her one-word prayer the year she went out on her own: "jump"✨ Why she built a 30-year brand with zero advertising✨ Vulnerability, trust, and "the vault" — why clients tell her everything✨ Her superpower: customizing by intuition, not formula✨ "My gift is to be given away" — an abundance approach to business✨ Bringing beauty and confidence to women on mission trips in Africa✨ Why she'll never retire — and how she refills her own tankWhether you're a solo founder, a service-based business owner, or a woman who's been told "no," Wanata's story is proof that knowing who you are — and doing one thing exceptionally well — is a brand that lasts.🔗 Learn more at https://www.hairbywanata.com/The growth engine for women who mean business.http://www.f5collective.com0:00 Retire? Never (Cold Open)0:41 Meet Wanata Parker1:41 From New York to Losing Her Job3:36 "Do You Know Your Purpose?" Restaurant or Hair4:34 The Phone Book That Kept Opening to One School5:48 Starting Over as an Assistant in L.A.8:36 "I Don't Like the Word Can't"9:41 First to Bring Japanese Straightening to African American Hair10:48 "You'll Never Be Anything in This Business"11:53 Losing Her Mentor & Leaving a Toxic Salon13:07 "I'm Not Chasing Fame or Money"15:28 Why Vulnerability Builds Trust20:13 Integrity & the Sacred Space of the Chair22:55 "Getting to Know You Through Your Hair"24:46 Becoming a Brand & the Leap to Her Own Space31:34 Taking Her Gift to Africa33:27 South Africa: Making Women Feel Heard38:30 A Safe Space: "It Goes Into the Vault"45:08 Her Superpower: Customizing by Intuition47:06 "My Gift Is to Be Given Away" & Word of Mouth49:47 "I Can Rest When I'm Dead"55:25 The Golden Angel: A Sign She Was Home57:27 Business Minute59:30 Rapid Five1:07:02 Closing

What does it take to leave a stable corporate career and bet everything on your own creative business? Editor Heather Romanowski spent ten years in technical editing before burnout — and profound loss — pushed her to take the leap. Today she's the founder behind Book Realm Revisions, helping authors, publishers, and game creators turn rough drafts into stories they're proud of.In this episode, Heather shares:✨ Why losing two cousins to cancer became the catalyst to finally bet on herself✨ "Adapt or die" — her honest, principled stance on AI in creative work✨ Why she refuses to feed a single client's manuscript to generative AI✨ The feast-and-famine cycle no one warns freelancers about✨ Developmental vs. line vs. copy editing — explained simply✨ How self-publishing is getting more stories told that need telling✨ Leading with kindness as a business strategy✨ Setting (and sometimes bending) boundaries as a solo founder✨ Using AI ethically — and how to shrink its footprint✨ Keeping your childlike wonder alive while you buildWhether you're an author, a freelancer, or any woman building something of her own, Heather's story is a grounded, honest look at what it actually takes to go all in.About Heather Romanowski: Heather is an editor and the founder behind Book Realm Revisions, specializing in developmental, line, and copy editing for fiction, nonfiction, and gaming. A lifelong reader, gamer, and self-described second-generation nerd based in Michigan, she helps writers and worldbuilders craft compelling, polished stories.📚 Learn more at https://www.bookrealmrevisions.com/RELATED READING — More on the AI conversation in this episode:Heather talks about finding the middle ground on AI and why choosing not to use it can be a valid, principled call. Two pieces from Right Touch Editing pick up exactly those threads:📖 "AI Isn't All or Nothing—Let's Talk About It" by Erin Brenner — a practical look at how editors can move past both fear and blind trust:https://www.righttouchediting.com/2026/04/23/ai-isnt-all-or-nothing-lets-talk-about-it/📖 "AI Isn't for Everyone—And That's Okay" by Sean Brenner & Erin Brenner — why opting out isn't the career-ending choice it's sometimes made out to be:https://www.righttouchediting.com/2026/05/14/ai-isnt-for-everyone-and-thats-okay/The growth engine for women who mean business.http://www.f5collective.com3:19 The Book That Started It All4:43 From Reading to Editing9:04 The First Fiction Edit That Hooked Her12:35 Building the Business & Why First Clients Matter13:45 Copy, Line & Developmental Editing, Explained17:53 Taking the Leap After Loss28:34 Editing What You Love: Sci-Fi & Fantasy32:44 World-Building 10136:14 Standalone Books vs. Series38:09 Collaborating With Authors48:46 Editing Games, War Games & Cookbooks53:06 The AI Conversation: Adapt or Die55:41 Why She Won't Feed Client Work to AI56:50 Using AI Ethically — and Its Real Cost1:03:56 Publishing: Independent, Hybrid & Traditional1:07:37 When Self-Published Authors Get Picked Up1:09:28 On the Horizon: Elder Glade & Story Stream

Joanna Wiesinger spent years as a PhD inorganic chemist — until life forced a different question. After the loss of her first son and years at home with her three children, she came back to the workplace to find her resume no longer fit who she had become. "Chemistry no longer held my heart. People did."Today she's the founder of Thrive With Strengths and a Gallup-Certified Clifton Strengths Coach who helps executive leaders build high-performing teams in 3–6 months. Her philosophy is built on one quietly radical idea: "At the heart of science is fixing the problem. At the heart of leading people is not fixing them."In this episode, Joanna shares:✨ The "audible exhale" moment when she discovered her strengths✨ Why "be more empathetic" is useless feedback — and what actually works✨ The three leadership myths she fell for (and so do most founders)✨ The $7 Amazon timer that saved her business from perfectionism✨ Driver vs. passenger: the difference between leaders and managers✨ Why "well-rounded leader" is a myth that's costing you✨ How to recognize people in a way that's actually a lever for results✨ The five rules to thrive (not just survive) when scaling✨ Why if your business only works when you show up, you don't have a business — you have a job✨ Move faster than you feel ready: perfection is expensiveWhether you're leading a team, building a business, or staring at a resume that doesn't fit anymore, Joanna's story is a roadmap for what happens when you stop fixing yourself and start leading from what's already strong.About Joanna Wiesinger: Joanna is the founder of Thrive With Strengths, a Gallup-Certified Clifton Strengths Coach, speaker, and leadership development expert. She holds a PhD in inorganic chemistry and has spent the last decade helping leaders and teams at companies like Thomson Reuters and Farmer Brothers build strengths-based cultures that reduce friction and improve results.🌟 Learn more at https://www.thrivewithstrengths.com/The growth engine for women who mean business.http://www.f5collective.com0:00 "At the Heart of Leading People Is Not Fixing Them"0:12 Welcome + Meet Joanna Wiesinger1:40 From Poland to the U.S. at 16: Chemistry as a Universal Language3:24 From Chemist to Coach: What Sparked the Pivot4:44 When Your Resume No Longer Fits: The Clifton Strengths Exhale6:00 Getting Certified & Launching Thrive With Strengths7:42 The Hardest Part of Entrepreneurship: Nowhere to Hide8:50 Falling for the "Well-Rounded Leader" Myth10:19 Science Fixes Problems; Leading People Doesn't14:20 Why "Be More Empathetic" Is Useless Feedback16:26 Going With the Grain: What Strengths-Based Leadership Really Is17:58 Strengths as a Business Strategy (75% vs. 9% Engagement)19:11 Her Process: Lead Yourself, Lead Others, Lead the Business21:43 Leadership vs. Management24:59 10 Years In — and Why She's No One-Woman Team26:59 The Three Leadership Myths She Fell For29:30 When Strengths Backfire: The Maximizer Trap37:34 The Real Challenge: Resistance to Being Assessed40:57 Making Your Leadership Style Explicit44:05 What's Next for Thrive With Strengths48:01 Recognition as a Lever for Results52:22 The Overlooked Reality: Know Your Numbers53:51 Taking the Leap With Almost No Capital55:48 Fear of Failure & Why the Best Leaders Fail Fast1:02:34 Playfulness, Twix Bars & Final Favorites

Nancy Gale will tell you she's never had one mentor—she's had thousands. "I get into an Uber and start a conversation… it's not one person that's mentored me, it's many people, and it's conversations." In this episode, the founder and designer behind JAMAH—an American-made, ultra-luxury bespoke handbag brand crafted entirely in the USA—shares how staying open to everyone shaped a career built over "23 years of ramen," why she calls the "love what you do" myth total bullshit, and how the success of JAMAH fuels her nonprofit, AMBITION.✨ Nancy shares: why she believes "everybody mentors me"—and how to stay open to it✨ "23 years of ramen" and the myth of overnight success✨ Why "if you love what you do" is a lie—and what's actually true✨ How your challenges don't dictate your constitution✨ Why people project their own limits onto your dreams✨ "Power, not pity" — the philosophy behind AMBITION✨ Why opportunity is about access and exposure, not money✨ Building luxury that's personal, not logo-driven✨ The STOPS reset she's used since childhood✨ Why she'd rather do it well than chase "scale"✨ Cause and commerce: separate, but intrinsically connectedAbout Nancy Gale: Nancy Gale is the founder and designer of JAMAH, an American luxury handbag house known for bespoke, made-to-order leather goods handcrafted in the USA, with press in Vogue, InStyle, People, and Robb Report and a clientele spanning celebrities and collectors. She is also the founder of AMBITION (est. 2010), a nonprofit that mentors under-resourced young people by giving them the access, exposure, and resilience tools to reach their goals—anchored in its "power, not pity" philosophy. Raised in Detroit, Nancy built both ventures on a single idea: cause and commerce should be so integrated that one can't function without the other.🖤 Learn more at ambition.org and shop the collection at https://www.jamah.com/The growth engine for women who mean business.http://www.f5collective.com0:00 Everybody Mentors Me0:33 Welcome: Nancy Gale of JAMAH1:57 Why It Had to Be Made in the USA4:53 Her Definition of Luxury5:23 Where the Name JAMAH Came From6:25 Becoming a Technical Writer7:12 Leaping Into JAMAH7:59 Our Challenges Don't Dictate Our Constitution9:24 The 25-Year Vision & the Overnight Myth10:26 23 Years of Ramen12:28 Luxury Equaled Logo—I Did Something Different16:10 Filming the Making of Your Bag18:35 The Motorcar Collection Begins22:47 AMBITION Started at My Dinner Table24:11 Inside the Program: You Don't Know About Me25:44 Power, Not Pity26:31 Cause & Commerce, Intrinsically Connected27:55 The Richard Branson Challenge30:04 On Being Mentored by Everyone31:10 How Luxury in America Has Shifted34:13 Working With My Lead Sewer38:10 Your Why & Tuning Out the Naysayers43:34 The STOPS Reset46:21 Out-Anger, Out-Angst, Out-Fear46:49 What's Next for JAMAH47:40 Growing AMBITION & Power Not Pity Day49:37 The National Dance Challenge51:01 The Story Behind Each Bag52:46 Put Reason to Everything That Happens54:40 Targeting Clients & the Press Game56:55 Editorial Over Advertising59:56 USA-Made: Added to the Collection61:57 How to Scale Bespoke Luxury65:46 The Financial Reality Nobody Talks About66:28 Bootstrapping With Friends & Family68:21 What I Almost Did Instead

Anna Cheniuntai is the Co-Founder and CEO of Apis Cor, the deep-tech company building robots that 3D print full-scale houses on site. By 23, she'd already run a multi-million-dollar Olympic infrastructure contract in Sochi. Then she and her husband Nick sold the house, sold the luxury cars, and put everything into building a robot that didn't exist yet."You are the main resource. Every startup needs a budget for a coach for the founders. 'Ride or die' is not a wise approach if you really want to build a big business."In this episode, Anna shares:✨ Growing up in Siberia in a family of physicists — and her first business at age 7✨ Running the Sochi Olympics navigation contract at 23 (and the surgery that almost stopped it)✨ "99% of your problems can be solved with a phone call. Except one."✨ Selling the house and the luxury cars to fund the prototype✨ Winning NASA's competition to 3D print on Mars — and bringing that tech back to Earth✨ Why their robots have names: Frank, Gary, and Mary✨ The housing crisis math: 5 million homes needed, 400,000 trades workers✨ Origin Homes — their new spec house program in California and Florida✨ The first $10,000 check that kept the company alive✨ Why founder mental health is a fiduciary responsibility, not a luxury✨ The TV show she watches when she can't crack a problem✨ Why "impossible" is the signal, not the deterrentWhether you're building deep tech, raising your first round, or just tired of being told to grind harder, Anna's story is a masterclass in conviction without delusion.About Anna Cheniuntai: Anna is the Co-Founder and CEO of Apis Cor, headquartered in Melbourne, FL. Apis Cor's mobile concrete printers — Frank, Gary, and Mary — print structural walls of buildings up to two stories tall, including the current Guinness World Record holder for largest 3D printed building. The company is now launching Origin Homes and ADUs in California and Florida.🏠 Learn more at https://apis-cor.com/The growth engine for women who mean business.http://www.f5collective.com0:00 Opening: You Are the Main Resource0:46 Welcome to F5 Collective2:14 Family of Physicists in Siberia2:25 Growing Up in a Siberian City (Not the Wild)7:48 The Sochi Olympics Contract11:37 "They Thought They'd Be Fired" — Showing Up as Kids12:37 Her First Business at Age 717:11 The Tumor Found Mid-Olympics18:54 "99% of Problems = One Phone Call"20:48 From Olympics to Houses with Robots24:21 Nick's 3D Printer Idea24:49 Selling the House and the Luxury Cars26:38 Why "Impossible" Drags Her In27:52 Addressing the Housing Crisis28:08 What Apis Cor Actually Does31:41 The Challenges of Building Deep Tech37:09 Meet Frank, Gary, and Mary43:00 The NASA Competition to Print on Mars50:24 Origin Homes & ADUs in California and Florida52:38 The Guinness World Record House1:02:41 The Skilled Labor Shortage Math1:08:16 Why "Apis Cor" — The Bees Were First1:09:26 If Someone Gave You $500,0001:10:18 LinkedIn vs. Reality: Founder Mental Health1:12:55 The First $10,000 Check That Changed Everything1:14:06 No Fears, No Plan B1:16:24 Take an Hour for a Silly TV Show1:17:04 Tribe Over Networking Events1:17:37 Walk With the Dog1:18:35 Side Projects: Charity in Africa & Ukraine1:19:01 Rapid Five Q&A1:22:00 Closing

After a 2013 car accident left her with a traumatic brain injury that ended her decades-long career, Debbie Slavkin found her way back through beads, color, and creativity. In this episode of F5 Collective Presents: Women in Business, Debbie shares how jewelry making became her medicine — and how she built Made by Mimi Designs on her own terms.In this episode, Debbie shares:✨ The spark: the beads she couldn't put down — and 1,000 pieces later✨ Building a craft around a brain injury — finding a way that worked for her✨ Why it's "Made by Mimi" — the grandson who couldn't say "Grand Debbie"✨ Creativity as healing after traumatic brain injury✨ Self-advocacy and being believed when "you look fine"✨ Bootstrapping as a solo founder — investor, funder, and maker all in one✨ The honest reality of selling handmade in a tough economy✨ Giving back through The Miracle Project and music education nonprofits✨ Protecting the passion so the business never becomes "just a job"✨ Refusing to settle for "stable" on her mental health journey✨ Her Rapid Five: trust your gut, grandkids, and the travel bugWhether you're a maker, a solo founder, or someone rebuilding after a hard season, Debbie's story is proof that the thing that heals you can also be the thing you build.About Debbie Slavkin: Debbie Slavkin is the founder and designer behind Made by Mimi Designs, a handmade jewelry brand born out of healing. Known as "Mimi" to her five grandchildren, she designs one-of-a-kind necklaces, bracelets, earrings, glasses chains, and cell phone straps from her closet workshop in Playa Vista, California — and gives back to nonprofits that support kids through the arts.🔗 Shop Made by Mimi Designs: https://madebymimidesigns.com/The growth engine for women who mean business.http://www.f5collective.com0:00 The Beads That Hooked Her0:38 Welcome to F5 Collective Presents1:29 Growing Up & Heading to USC1:59 A Career in TV & Journalism2:34 Selling Television Around the World3:01 Producing the College Emmys3:16 The Accident That Changed Everything4:58 Discovering Jewelry Making6:51 1,000 Pieces & Counting7:10 What She Makes9:14 Cathartic by Design: Mimi's Workshop10:15 Turning a Passion Into a Business10:40 Building the Website With Family11:44 When the Numbers Stop Making Sense14:21 Music Education & Global Classrooms18:20 Why Small Donations Matter18:48 Scaling a Creative Business19:15 Word of Mouth & Custom Work20:11 The Grandkids' Holiday Boutique21:14 A $25 Necklace Isn't Discretionary22:28 Revamping the Website & SEO23:41 Bootstrapping: Investor, Funder, Maker24:25 The Story Behind "Mimi"25:50 Collections & Custom Designs28:03 Learning to Sell Herself28:29 Creativity & Emotional Well-Being29:54 "I Was a Lousy Student"32:16 Why Arts Education Matters32:55 What's Next for Made by Mimi34:43 Inside the Handmade Maker World37:48 Passion vs. Job38:49 Mental Health Support39:46 Self-Advocacy: "Because I Look Fine"41:05 "Stable Isn't Enough"41:33 Healing Isn't One-and-Done42:07 Helping Others to Heal Herself42:53 Final Thoughts43:33 Create for the Passion, Not the Business44:19 Business Minute45:06 Rapid Five: Dreams, Grandkids & Joy46:21 Trust Your Gut47:03 Travel & Final Favorites49:15 Where to Find Made by Mimi Designs

Jade Diep didn't plan to become an entrepreneur — at 22, starting her own company was the only legal way to stay in Beijing. Today she's the co-founder and CEO of Dr Glitter, the makers of a world-first, patent-protected technology that turns supplements into beautiful, tasteless crystals you sprinkle straight onto your food.In this episode, Jade shares the unexpected path from the Chinese film industry to health tech, why she refuses to let people-pleasing run her business, and how she and co-founder Augusta Xu-Holland spent five years in R&D — building their own machines when no manufacturer in the world could make their product.In this episode, Jade shares:✨ Why "opinions are cheap" — and nobody knows your business like the founder does✨ Becoming an entrepreneur by accident at 22 in Beijing✨ From Chinese film & product placement to inventing ActivCrystal™ technology✨ The iron deficiency crisis affecting 2+ billion people — mostly women and kids✨ Five years of R&D and two years of weekly manufacturing trials✨ The "Slate" theory: why early-stage founders should build a portfolio, not bet on one idea✨ Why your network is currency — and perception is everything✨ How one Instagram video brought in six US retailers✨ What to actually look for in a mentor✨ Pill fatigue and making health & wellness genuinely fun✨ Out-innovating multi-billion-dollar companies by accident✨ Why entrepreneurship is a decades-long journey — so have fun and choose your people wellWhether you're building a brand, navigating health tech, or learning to trust your own judgment over everyone else's opinions, Jade's story is a masterclass in conviction, creativity, and play.About Jade Diep: Jade Diep is the co-founder and CEO of Dr Glitter. Australian-born with a background in finance, marketing, and the Chinese film industry — where she ran a product placement company — Jade co-founded Dr Glitter with Augusta Xu-Holland. Together they invented and patented ActivCrystal™ technology, a world-first oral delivery format designed to be sprinkled on meals, after five years of research and development.✨ Learn more at https://drglitter.com/The growth engine for women who mean business.http://www.f5collective.com0:00 Opening: Have Fun and Choose Your People Well0:38 Welcome to F5 Collective Presents Women in Business1:11 Meet Jade Diep, Co-Founder of Dr Glitter1:25 From Australia to Beijing: Breaking Into Film3:42 Her First Venture: A Product Placement Company5:23 The Accidental Origin of Edible Glitter6:16 Building ActivCrystal™ Technology in the Kitchen6:57 Scaling Up: CSIRO and Building Their Own Machines8:56 Patenting a World-First Product12:46 "Opinions Are Cheap": Beating People-Pleasing14:58 How ActivCrystal™ Actually Works15:53 Pill Fatigue and Making Health Fun18:11 The Product Line: Iron, Probiotics and Beyond20:38 The Iron Deficiency Crisis: 2 Billion People23:14 Who's Really Buying It: Adult Women24:59 Why It's Built for Product Placement26:57 Going Viral: One Instagram Video, Six Retailers27:44 The Plan to Scale in the US29:13 The Vision: Whole Foods for Everyone30:37 Navigating Health Tech and Your Network as Currency33:32 Science, Art and Play: What's Next34:55 The Texture Breakthrough36:33 Out-Innovating Billion-Dollar Companies by Accident39:14 The "Slate" Theory for Early-Stage Founders41:32 Rapid Five Q&A

In 1990, Nan Young was told her two-and-a-half-year-old daughter — who has cerebral palsy — couldn't attend the same elementary school as her brother. The school wasn't accessible. There was no ADA. So Nan made a deal: an arts program in exchange for a ramp and a rail. The principal agreed. Her daughter became the first physically disabled child to attend a public school in the Conejo Valley Unified School District.That handshake deal is the seed of Art Trek, the nonprofit Nan now runs as Executive Director — a 115+ person organization working in over 100 schools from Long Beach to Santa Barbara, reaching roughly 100,000 people a year. In 2024, Nan was named Woman of the Year.In this episode of F5 Collective Presents: Women in Business, Nan shares:✨ The ramp-and-rail story that started everything✨ Going from "we made money this year!" to "...but how much did it cost us?"✨ Growing a dining-room project into a community-anchor nonprofit✨ The "inner spark" she hires for — and why skills come second✨ Manage daily. Look long term. Both. Always.✨ "Be frugal, but never cheap" — especially with your staff✨ From sapling to mighty oak: how deep roots survive droughts✨ Why every art class teaches life skills, not just drawing✨ Why Art Trek says yes to (almost) everything✨ Partnership over competition: how she works with other nonprofits✨ "Keep yourself humble, keep yourself hungry, keep yourself smart"Whether you're a nonprofit founder, a creative entrepreneur, or anyone who has ever had to ask for what you need with nothing but a good idea to trade, Nan's story is a masterclass in patient, principled growth.About Nan Young: Nan Young is the Executive Director of Art Trek Inc., an independent, hands-on, not-for-profit arts organization bringing visual, literary, and performing arts to communities across Southern California. Named Woman of the Year in 2024, Nan has spent over three decades building Art Trek from a PTA program in her dining room into a regional powerhouse serving over 100 schools and 100,000 people annually.🎨 Learn more at https://www.arttrek.org/The growth engine for women who mean business.http://www.f5collective.com0:00 Opening: Art Is More Than What's on the Surface0:37 Welcome & Introduction0:53 What Makes a Nonprofit4:13 The Origin: Art Trek Started in My Dining Room5:36 A Ramp and a Rail: The 1990 Handshake Deal6:26 Her Daughter, a Pioneer in Public School8:22 Becoming a 501(c)(3) in 20069:36 "How Much Did It Cost Us?" Learning the Business10:35 Camp Counselor, Theater Director, Teacher15:44 Why Art Is More Than the Activity16:35 Building the Team: Staff and Volunteers17:02 100+ Schools, 115+ People20:23 Why the Arts Matter for Everyone22:01 Creative Moments: A Necessity, Not a Luxury23:54 Working With Engineers, Scientists & Youth in Detention26:51 Reaching 100,000 People a Year28:43 Saying Yes to Everything31:53 $5 Fridays and Community Events34:33 The Power of Partnerships36:30 Youth, Government & Nonprofit Collaboration37:40 Does She Still Make Her Own Art?40:17 Every Art Project Starts With a Blank Page41:45 What's Next: Theater, Writing, Performance43:47 From Sapling to Mighty Oak45:17 On AI: Useful Tool, But Not in the Classroom50:02 Business Advice: Communication, Long View, Daily Management50:49 Be Frugal, But Never Cheap52:07 Rapid Five Q&A54:21 Closing Thanks

Iona Morris-Jackson is an actor, director, producer, and host of The Vision is Possible. She's spent decades in entertainment, but the most transformative moment didn't happen on set—it happened in a linen store. "Who am I? Not what mommy wants, daddy wants, what my friends want—but what do I want? And it just changed everything for me in that moment."In this episode, Iona shares:✨ The linen store epiphany: "Who am I?"✨ "You are your brand" - actors as entrepreneurs✨ You are your own startup✨ Growing up in a family of performers✨ Starting as a voiceover artist✨ The business of being an actor✨ Directing vs. acting: different muscles✨ The Vision is Possible: her platform for creative entrepreneurs✨ Rejection and resilience in the entertainment industry✨ Finding your voice as an actor✨ The difference between theater and film/TV✨ You are the CEO of your own company✨ Creating work when the work isn't coming to youWhether you're in entertainment, creative entrepreneurship, or searching for "who am I?", Iona's story proves that knowing yourself is the foundation of building your brand.About Iona Morris-Jackson:Iona Morris-Jackson is an actor, director, producer, mentor, coach, and host of The Vision is Possible. From voiceover artist to theater to film and TV, Iona has built a career on knowing who she is and helping others do the same.🎭 Learn more at https://thevisionispossible.com/The growth engine for women who mean business.http://www.f5collective.com0:00 Opening: Who Am I? The Linen Store Moment0:54 Introduction: Actor, Director, Producer1:15 Coaching & Mentoring Actors1:36 You Are Your Own Startup2:51 Going Back to Poetry3:32 Starting as a Voiceover Artist5:00 Growing Up in a Family of Performers5:53 The Vision is Possible7:00 Finding My Voice8:55 I Have to Act Again9:46 You Are Your Brand11:00 The Business of Being an Actor13:00 CEO of Your Own Company15:00 Auditioning & Rejection17:00 Building Resilience19:00 Directing: Different Muscles21:00 Working with Actors as a Director22:36 Marriage & Partnership25:00 Creating Your Own Work28:00 The Industry Evolution30:00 Theater Roots33:00 Voice Acting Craft36:00 Self-Discovery Journey39:00 Knowing Your Worth42:00 Producing Projects45:00 Mentoring the Next Generation48:00 Booking the Job50:00 Theater vs Film/TV53:00 The Hustle of Show Business55:00 Faith & Perseverance58:00 Advice for Creative Entrepreneurs1:00:00 Rapid Five Q&A

Symone Opara was a Principal Director in Engineering at Microsoft with 11 directors reporting to her across the world. She had five kids, a demanding job, and wanted to cook from-scratch meals every night. "How do I work for Microsoft and we don't have a technical solution for this?" So she and her husband built LeCuckoo—a platform for home cooks to share recipes and get paid. Then she made the leap: "I left with arrogance—'if I want to come back, I can always come back.' Then Microsoft started doing all its layoffs."In this episode, Symone shares:✨ "I made the leap with arrogance"—then Microsoft layoffs hit✨ Three kids in three different colleges while starting a business✨ Principal Director with 11 directors across the world at Microsoft✨ "Startups are a whole other language—completely different game"✨ Her husband is from Nigeria—his mom died when their third child was 6 months old✨ Learning Nigerian cooking: "CKSP means cooking spoon—that's how they measure"✨ Five kids with allergies, vegetarian phases, and one who doesn't like cheese✨ Seven people = doubling or halving every recipe✨ Printed recipes in notebooks that got gross and torn✨ 12 years at Microsoft, American Express before that✨ Married 26 years with five kids, eight chickens, two pugs✨ LeCuckoo = French slang for "hey"Whether you're in tech, food, or dreaming of entrepreneurship, Symone's story proves that sometimes you need to leap with confidence—even when the timing isn't perfect.About Symone Opara:Symone Opara is the Founder and Board Advisor of LeCuckoo, a platform empowering home cooks to share recipes and earn money. From Phoenix to Boston University to Microsoft Principal Director to Seattle entrepreneur, Symone is solving problems at the intersection of food, culture, and technology.🍳 Learn more at https://luc.cooking/The growth engine for women who mean business.http://www.f5collective.com0:00 Opening: I Made the Leap with Arrogance0:51 Introduction: Symone Opara & Le Cuckoo1:41 From Phoenix to Boston, San Francisco & Seattle3:48 Married 26 Years, Five Kids, Eight Chickens5:13 Boston University: From Computer Science to Mass Comm6:06 Connecting Through International Food7:07 Marrying Into Nigerian Culture & Cooking8:13 What is a "CKSP"? (A Cooking Spoon)9:55 The Catalyst: Microsoft, Five Kids, From-Scratch Cooking12:39 Taking the Leap During Microsoft's Layoffs13:39 Where the Names Le Cuckoo & Luke Come From15:25 The Luke Experience: Freemium to Professional16:55 Personalization That Remembers You17:33 A Growth Path for Chefs18:25 Reimagining the Cookbook20:39 Why Start With Recipes22:32 The Creator Economy Problem24:00 The Numbers: 175 Million People Looking for Recipes27:30 The Imbalance in the Food Industry28:15 Food as Connection: The Potluck Tradition30:55 Tasting the Stories Behind the Food33:42 Patenting the Royalty Model (Like Apple Music for Recipes)40:54 Signal: AI for the Food Industry38:28 Corporate Experience Meets Startup Life39:54 "You Don't Know How to Speak Startup"40:48 The Team, Equity & What's Next43:33 Wefunder: Investing the Everyday Person44:33 The Hardest Part: Marketing Yourself47:05 Advice for Founders: Don't Buy Everything Year One49:00 Build Your Board Early51:18 Be Wary of Incubators51:46 Rapid Five: Chef Dreams I Regret Not Chasing55:13 Wrap-Up

Ashley Bradley turned a gap in the eyewear market into Palma Eyewear—all while raising young kids and working from her kitchen table. In just one year, she's built a thriving brand that prioritizes quality, intentional growth, and community over going viral.In this episode, Ashley shares:✨ Why she started from her kitchen table with a 5-month-old (and why you can too)✨ How to work with Chinese manufacturers and get designer-quality at accessible prices✨ The moment she saw a stranger wearing her sunglasses in public✨ Growing intentionally vs. chasing viral moments and fake followers✨ Becoming a "jack of all trades" to build a business you're proud of✨ Why protecting your IP and testing your products matters from day one✨ Balancing motherhood and entrepreneurship without the guiltWhether you're in fashion, e-commerce, or just dreaming of starting something of your own, Ashley's journey proves that you don't need a perfect setup—you just need to begin.About Ashley Bradley:Ashley is the Co-Founder and Co-Owner of Palma Eyewear, an Australian eyewear and accessories brand offering high-quality, polarized sunglasses at accessible prices. From magazine styling to motherhood to entrepreneurship, Ashley is building a brand that makes women feel confident and amazing.🕶️ Shop La Palma Eyewear and follow their journey at https://palmaeyewear.comThe growth engine for women who mean business.http://www.f5collective.com0:00 Opening: I Started from My Kitchen Table0:25 Introduction: La Palma Eyewear1:21 Growing Up: Academics & Creatives1:53 Working for House and Garden Magazine2:25 Having Children & Career Pivot2:37 The Gap in the Eyewear Market2:50 Quality Sunglasses at Accessible Prices3:30 Working with China: Debunking the Myths5:00 Highest Quality Materials & Technology6:17 Independent Testing in Australia7:30 Protecting Your Investment8:42 The Motherhood & Business Juggle9:39 Compartmentalizing: When I'm With My Kids, That's What I Do10:30 Suppliers, Boxes, Tissue—Everything Comes From Everywhere11:13 The Bondi Moment: Seeing a Stranger Wear Them12:10 Design Quality Feels at Accessible Prices12:38 Growing Intentionally vs Going Viral13:03 My Son Was 5 Months Old at the Kitchen Table13:45 Becoming a Jack of All Trades14:30 Learning Meta Ads, Supply Chain, Everything15:15 Advice: Just Start. Just Do It. Why Not?

Trish Church-Podlasek spent decades as a creative director for craft magazines. She and her husband dreamed of opening a store together since before they were even married—coming up on their 45th wedding anniversary. Then illness struck. "Once I finished through that process, I said, 'If we're going to do this, it's time.'" Now Cuorebella is a peaceful haven in South Carolina where Trish creates watercolor art, teaches workshops, and helps people find beauty.In this episode, Trish shares:✨ The illness that made her say "It's time"✨ 45 years of dreaming with her husband before opening the shop✨ "I was done with corporate—it was never something I truly loved"✨ From magazine creative director to product designer✨ Starting watercolor workshops: "I was afraid—I don't know if I could do it"✨ Why people say "It's so peaceful here" every single day✨ Teaching watercolor for 8 years✨ Creating Cuorebella Paper: her florals, paintings, cards✨ The scary thing about starting your own business✨ Drake University: Graphic Design & Jewelry/Silversmithing✨ Why she loves telling artists' storiesWhether you're in design, retail, teaching art, or dreaming of opening a shop with your partner, Trish's story proves it's never too late to go after your dream.About Trish Church-Podlasek:Trish Church-Podlasek is the Owner, Graphic Artist, and Watercolor Artist at Cuorebella in South Carolina. From craft magazine creative director to shop owner and watercolor teacher, Trish creates peaceful spaces where beauty and art feed the soul.🎨 Visit Cuorebella, watercolor florals & stationery https://cuorebella.com/The growth engine for women who mean business.http://www.f5collective.com0:00 Opening: After My Illness, I Said It's Time0:25 Introduction: Cuorebella1:00 Magazine to Product Transition2:00 Growing Up Creative2:26 Begging Dad for Art Lessons3:13 High School Art Curriculum3:27 Drake University3:45 Graphic Design & Jewelry/Silversmithing5:00 Early Career in Magazines6:30 Creative Director Journey8:42 Before We Were Even Married8:58 45-Year Dream with My Husband9:45 Done with Corporate Structure10:06 The Illness: It's Time to Go After This10:54 The Scary Thing About Starting11:30 The Investment & The Will13:00 Opening Cuorebella15:27 People Say: It's So Peaceful Here16:30 We've Made It Happen17:38 Helping Artists Get Started18:10 I Was Afraid I Couldn't Teach18:39 Teaching Watercolor for 8 Years20:00 The Workshop Experience22:00 Building Community Through Art25:00 Cuorebella Paper: My Florals & Paintings27:00 Wholesale Business Journey30:00 Patience in Business Growth33:00 Working with Local Artists36:00 The Shop Layout & Design39:01 Feeding People's Souls42:00 Why We Do This45:00 Marriage & Business Partnership48:00 Advice for Entrepreneurs52:00 Balancing Art & Business55:00 What's Next57:00 Rapid Five Q&A

Vicky Pasche went from casino marketing director to fashion entrepreneur with zero fashion background. When she finally found clothes that fit her masculine-presenting body, everything changed. Now Dapper Boi—the inclusive clothing brand she co-founded with her wife—is saving lives. A parent once reached out to say their suicidal 14-year-old started smiling again after seeing a Dapper Boi ad, knowing she belonged on this earth.In this episode, Vicky shares:✨ Why a suicidal teen started smiling again after seeing their ad✨ The moment a friend gave her "permission" to shop in the men's department✨ Trying on her first pair of men's jeans: "I had never felt so confident"✨ Her wife's honest words: "You look like a hot mess"✨ Why men's clothes didn't fit her body (two sizes too big for her butt)✨ Launching on Kickstarter with zero fashion background✨ Getting hung up on by manufacturers: "Do you know what you're talking about?"✨ The VP who said her ideas were "terrible"—then promoted her the next day✨ Merging women's functional pockets with men's durability✨ Why Dapper Boi is their "third child"✨ Creating hotel uniforms so employees can feel confident at work✨ Building a gender-neutral brand without being "triggering"Whether you're LGBTQ+, masculine-presenting, or just tired of clothes that don't fit, Vicky's story proves that representation matters and confidence changes everything.About Vicky Pasche:Vicky Pasche is the Co-Founder and CEO of Dapper Boi, an inclusive clothing brand for everybody and every body. From Saratoga, NY to San Diego casinos to Valencia, Spain, Vicky is building a brand that helps people feel seen, confident, and like they belong.👔 Shop Dapper Boi at https://www.dapperboi.com/The growth engine for women who mean business. http://f5collective.com0:00 Opening: A 14-Year-Old Started Smiling Again1:11 Introduction: Dapper Boi Co-Founder1:53 Casino Marketing Director2:09 Growing Up in Saratoga, NY3:00 College & Early Career4:52 Your Ideas Are Terrible—Promoted the Next Day6:00 Moving to San Diego7:11 Felt Frumpy, Unseen, Unconfident7:51 A Friend Gave Me Permission8:31 Shopping in the Men's Department9:17 Never Felt So Confident9:50 Meeting My Wife10:18 You Look Like a Hot Mess10:50 Two Sizes Too Big for My Butt11:19 Dapper = Confidence, Not Suits11:58 Manufacturers Hung Up on Us13:04 Merging Men's & Women's Jeans14:00 Launching on Kickstarter16:00 Zero Fashion Background18:00 Building the Brand20:00 Marketing & PR Strategy22:00 The Community Response24:16 The Suicidal 14-Year-Old: Full Story25:00 Dapper Boi is Our Third Child26:16 Connect Early and Often28:00 Fundraising & Investors30:47 Free PR: Pitching Media33:00 Manufacturing & Supply Chain35:00 Product Development37:00 Inclusive Fashion Mission39:51 Hotel & Hospitality Uniforms42:00 B2B Opportunity44:00 Advice for Entrepreneurs45:03 Rapid Five Q&A

Peggy Curry spent 17 years searching for answers. She had severe panic disorder and agoraphobia. Her husband had debilitating migraines. All four of their kids were chronically sick. No doctor could help them. Then one client said, "Get tested for gluten intolerance." Within a month, their entire family's lives changed. Now Peggy is the Co-Founder of Curry Girls Kitchen and author of "Damn Good Gluten Free Eating," on a mission to help others discover food is medicine.In this episode, Peggy shares:✨ 17 years of searching before discovering gluten intolerance✨ Managing severe panic disorder and agoraphobia from ages 18-28✨ Teaching special ed while friends drove her to work✨ Four kids all chronically sick—no doctor ever mentioned food✨ Her daughter Megan's debilitating symptoms from birth✨ The moment everything changed: "We're all gluten intolerant"✨ Creating Eva's Garden Organic Marinara after her mom died of breast cancer✨ "I no longer wanted to raise money for disease—I wanted to teach prevention"✨ The Curry Girls Method: Bio-individuality in food✨ Why "Damn Good Gluten Free" took 12 years to write✨ Growing Great: Teaching kids where food comes from✨ "Happy cells, happy body, happy life"Whether you're struggling with chronic health issues, food sensitivities, or just want to feel better, Peggy's story proves that when doctors can't help, food can heal.About Peggy Curry:Peggy Curry is the Co-Founder of Curry Girls Kitchen, Co-Founder and Board Member of Growing Great, and author of "Damn Good Gluten Free Eating." From special ed teacher to food-as-medicine advocate, Peggy is transforming lives by teaching people that food is medicine.📖 Get the cookbook: "Damn Good Gluten Free Eating"🥗 Learn more at https://currygirlskitchen.com/The growth engine for women who mean business.http://www.f5collective.com0:00 Opening: 17 Years of Hell0:26 Introduction: Curry Girls & Growing Great1:00 Damn Good Gluten Free Eating1:30 Growing Up in West L.A.2:30 Mom's Business: Lily's of Beverly Hills3:30 Met Her Husband at 154:20 Getting Sick: Panic Disorder5:00 Becoming a Special Ed Teacher6:37 Teaching in Culver City7:30 Friends Who Took Care of Me8:30 Starting a Family9:41 Megan Was So Sick from Birth10:30 All Four Kids Were Sick11:29 Never Giving Up11:45 17 Years of Hell12:17 Get Tested for Gluten Intolerance12:43 We're All Gluten Intolerant12:56 Within a Month, All Our Lives Changed13:54 Mom Died of Breast Cancer15:00 Eva's Garden Organic Marinara16:00 No Longer Raising Money for Disease17:00 Teaching People How to Eat for Health19:00 The Food Cleanse & Reset21:57 Curry Girls Kitchen24:00 Growing Great: Kids & Food27:00 The Cookbook Journey30:00 Make Life Delicious Every Day31:02 Bio-Individuality: What Works for You31:07 Happy Cells, Happy Body, Happy Life35:00 Damn Good Gluten Free: 12 Years in the Making40:00 Refine Your Mission45:00 Community & Support50:00 Advice for Entrepreneurs55:28 Rapid Five Q&A

Erica Keith spent 18 years at Hallmark Cards, collaborating with Dr. Maya Angelou and Jill Scott. Then she took a leap of faith into entrepreneurship. When her seven-year-old son Kingston ran crying to the backyard after seeing George Floyd's death, everything changed. That moment sparked Black Forward—a brand celebrating Black culture, representation, and positive messages for the Black and brown community.In this episode, Erica shares:✨ Why her son's tears became the catalyst for Black Forward✨ Leaving the security of corporate America with three kids and a new house✨ Her husband's powerful words: "You should do you"✨ Creating Juneteenth t-shirts when no one was really talking about Juneteenth✨ 18 years at Hallmark collaborating with Maya Angelou and Jill Scott✨ Starting with a portfolio that "lacked" and returning years later: "You're in"✨ The intersection of design and activism✨ Opening a pop-up shop on historic Germantown Avenue in Philadelphia✨ Building community while being a solopreneur, mom, choir director, and volunteer✨ Why knowing our history helps us have a stronger futureWhether you're in design, building a purpose-driven brand, or making the leap from corporate to entrepreneur, Erica's story will inspire you to create something meaningful.About Erica Keith:Erica Keith is a creative strategist, art director, and CEO & Founder of Black Forward, a brand celebrating Black culture through apparel, home goods, and positive messaging. From Cincinnati to Philadelphia to 18 years at Hallmark, Erica now uses design to shape culture and community narratives.🖤 Shop Black Forward at https://www.ericakeith.com/blackforwardThe growth engine for women who mean business.http://f5collective.com0:00 Opening: My Son Asked Why Police Killed George Floyd0:30 Introduction1:30 From Cincinnati to Philadelphia2:24 Extremely Quiet Child Observing Beauty3:06 Drawing from Jet and Ebony Magazines4:00 Applying to Tyler School of Art4:44 Portfolio Lacking—Come Back5:00 Community College of Philadelphia5:45 Falling in Love with Graphic Design6:20 Portfolio Review: You're In6:53 Hallmark Recruiting at Tyler7:19 Moving to Kansas City9:45 Collaborating with Dr. Maya Angelou10:49 The Jill Scott Collection12:30 18 Years at Hallmark13:07 Becoming an Adjunct Professor15:00 Teacher, Counselor, Therapist16:00 Moving Back to Philadelphia16:36 Director of Diversity & Inclusion17:20 The Call to Become an Entrepreneur17:35 My Husband Said: You Should Do You18:18 Everything Fell Into Place20:49 Design as Activism23:21 Kingston Was Seven Years Old25:13 The First Juneteenth T-Shirts26:20 Black Forward: The Name28:00 Print on Demand Model30:09 Knowing Our History = Stronger Future32:14 Pop-Up Shop on Germantown Avenue34:00 Balancing Black Forward & Client Work37:00 The Importance of Community40:00 Youth Choir & School Volunteer42:00 Boundaries & Self-Care45:00 What's Next: 5-10 Year Plan45:35 Rapid Five Q&A51:08 Advice: Take a Mini Business Course

0:00 Opening: The Algorithm is Bullshit0:30 Introduction: Creative Director to Handbag Designer1:30 Growing Up Creative: Movies & Family2:06 The Bangkok Buying Trip2:45 Finding the Sparkly Recycled Material3:21 The Sustainability Story4:00 Deciding to Make Bags, Not Suits5:00 Late Night Birthday Conversation5:37 Creating Film Scripts for Each Bag7:00 Storytelling Over Product Shots8:30 Naming Le Sept: The Seven10:52 The Seven Bag Personalities13:00 Building the Brand Without Money15:00 Who You Know vs What You Know17:38 When Mistakes Become Wins18:30 Working with Suppliers in Thailand19:43 The Algorithm is Bullshit: Full Story21:31 Customers Don't Know What They Want22:00 We're Going Into a Clone Society23:06 Find Your Own ThingFrom creative director in advertising to handbag designer, Alex Antoniou is building Le Sept on her own terms—and rejecting the algorithm-driven sameness of modern fashion. Her bags have personality, her brand has story, and her approach to business is refreshingly rebellious.In this episode, Alex shares:✨ Why the algorithm is bullshit and makes everyone look the same✨ How a random buying trip in Bangkok turned into a business✨ Building a brand through storytelling and film, not product shots✨ Why you should be your own number one customer✨ The power of pulling in favors and collaborating with creative friends✨ How a manufacturing mistake became her best design✨ Going against the Instagram template culture to stay true to your vision✨ Why customers don't know what they want (and why that's okay)Whether you're in fashion, creative industries, or building any kind of brand, Alex's approach will inspire you to trust your instincts and create something that actually stands out.About Alex Antoniou:Alex is the Founder of Le Sept, an Australian handbag brand built on storytelling, sustainability, and serious style. With a background in creative directing for major brands, Alex is now channeling her experience into building something uniquely her own—bags with personality and a brand with soul.👜 Discover Le Sept and the stories behind each bag at https://www.lesept.com.auThe growth engine for women who mean business.http://www.f5collective.com

0:00 Opening: I Declined Celebrity Clients0:44 Introduction: DeyThaMUA & Shine by Dey1:53 Growing Up: Always Into Art2:08 Drawing on Her Shirt at Age 42:39 Creating Shine by Dey Cosmetics4:00 Chi Arts: Chicago High School for the Arts6:33 Imposter Syndrome Still Exists8:39 Discovering Makeup Through YouTube10:58 Charging the First Client11:41 Starting Makeup in Her Dorm Room12:42 When I First Started, I Would Cry15:30 Building a Client Base18:00 Service-Based to Product-Based Business22:00 Art as a Collage25:00 Working with Elite Clientele27:42 My Heart Has to Be In It30:25 Your Prom Girl Matters Just as Much35:00 Boundaries & Non-Negotiables40:00 The Importance of Community42:28 Going to DePaul University45:00 Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs49:34 Rapid Five Q&ADeja Blackwell started doing makeup in her college dorm room, crying about who would pay her. Now she's the Founder and CEO of DeyThaMUA and Shine by Dey Cosmetics—working with elite clients while staying true to her values. When celebrity requests started coming in, she did something most artists wouldn't: she said no.In this episode, Deja shares:✨ Why she declined celebrity clients who wanted her to cancel on regular clients✨ Starting her business crying in her dorm room, wondering who would pay her✨ The imposter syndrome that persists even after achieving your dreams✨ How she went from service-based (makeup artistry) to product-based (cosmetics line)✨ Learning your non-negotiables and staying true to your values✨ Why your prom girl and wedding client matter just as much as any celebrity✨ Building a business where your heart is always in it✨ The moment she realized she needed to create her own cosmetics lineWhether you're in beauty, service-based business, or building a brand, Deja's story will remind you that integrity and authenticity matter more than any opportunity.About Deja Blackwell:Deja Blackwell is the Founder and CEO of DeyThaMUA, a makeup artistry business, and Shine by Dey Cosmetics. From her Chicago roots and Chi Arts High School training to working with elite clientele, Deja has built a business grounded in art, integrity, and keeping her word.💄 Learn more at https://www.deythamua.com/The growth engine for women who mean business.http://f5collective.com

0:00 Opening: I Got Funded 3 Weeks After I Quit My Job0:46 Growing Up: Always Interested in Math & Science1:09 Seeing Math Come Alive in Science1:53 Rocket Engineer Cousin & Choosing MIT2:21 Plasma Physics: Energy from the Sun3:27 How Food Became the Focus3:52 NASA & The Apollo Space Program4:09 How Do You Feed Astronauts on Long Space Journeys?4:43 Using Cultures Like Yogurt to Make Food4:53 Feeding 9 Billion People: Where Will the Land Come From?5:25 Meeting John Reid & Starting the Journey6:12 The Business Plan Competition6:41 Kiverdi to Air Protein: The Evolution7:05 Dad the Entrepreneur: 55 Hair Salons7:49 Family of Entrepreneurs Following Dad11:27 NASA Technology Transfer Program12:36 Raising Capital & December 202022:32 Lisa, You're Taking Too Much Risk31:23 Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs31:43 Watching Dad's Highs & Lows32:13 Many Entrepreneurs Sprint for Too Long33:06 Product-Market Fit: It May Take 4 Iterations36:25 Go For It & Put Your Whole Self In37:00 The Commitment Story: 3 Weeks After Quitting37:40 Rapid Five Q&A38:02 What Did You Want to Be When You Grew Up?38:46 What Always Makes You Smile?39:11 What You Know Now: Embracing Failure & Iteration39:50 Iterate Faster, Get Further40:14 Guilty Pleasure: Half a Cheesecake for Dinner41:13 Cat or Dog: Buddy the Australian Yorkshire Terrier41:43 How to Avoid Founder Burnout42:08 Non-Negotiable Boundaries42:54 Be Optimistic AND RealisticDr. Lisa Dyson is solving world hunger with space-age technology. As CEO and Co-Founder of Air Protein, she's using NASA-inspired science to create protein from elements in the air—no farmland, minimal resources, maximum impact. Her journey from MIT physicist to climate tech entrepreneur is proof that when you commit fully, everything shifts.In this episode, Lisa shares:✨ Why she got funded 3 weeks after quitting her job (the power of full commitment)✨ How NASA's Apollo space program inspired a solution to feed 9+ billion people✨ Transitioning from physics PhD to climate tech entrepreneur✨ Why iteration beats perfection (and how she learned this in grad school)✨ Growing up with an entrepreneur dad and 55 hair salons✨ The non-negotiable boundaries that prevent founder burnout✨ Celebrating small wins when you're building something massive✨ Being optimistic AND realistic as a founderWhether you're in climate tech, biotech, deep tech, or just building something ambitious, Lisa's story will inspire you to think bigger and commit harder.About Dr. Lisa Dyson:Dr. Lisa Dyson is the CEO and Co-Founder of Air Protein, a company making sustainable protein using elements from the air. With a PhD in Physics from MIT and a passion for solving climate change through innovation, Lisa is building the future of food—inspired by 1960s NASA research.🌍 Learn more at http://airprotein.comThe growth engine for women who mean business.http://f5collective.com

0:00 Opening: From Front Runner to Bottom of the Pile0:28 Introduction1:25 Three Elite Sports: Trampoline, Beach Volleyball, CrossFit1:39 Parents Met on a Trampoline2:17 17 Years of Trampoline: 12x National Champion2:37 Making a List of Sports You Can Peak in at 30+3:16 Starting Beach Volleyball from Zero3:38 Tragically Awful with All Balls4:29 How CrossFit Happened Accidentally5:17 100 Pull-Ups, Push-Ups, Sit-Ups & Squats5:46 Number One in Australia, Top 10 in the World6:02 What Draws You to Elite Sport: The Sense of Progress6:57 Transition from Player to Coach12:28 Starting Over: The Hardest Part of Career Change29:42 Confidence vs Self-Doubt in Competition37:32 Rapid Five Q&A38:02 What Did You Want to Be When You Grew Up?38:44 What Makes You Smile: Hiking & Type Two Fun39:20 A Month in Patagonia39:36 What You Know Now: Putting People First40:22 Guilty Pleasure: Chocolate40:38 Working in a Chocolate Shop41:36 Cat or Dog: Pet-Sitting Across America42:44 Travel is Cheaper Than You Think43:19 60+ Countries & Why Americans Should Travel MoreChristie Jenkins was #1 in Australia and top 10 in the world across three elite sports—trampoline, beach volleyball, and CrossFit. Then she retired and had to start over at the bottom. As an elite athlete turned keynote speaker, investor, and Co-Founder of FC32 (a multi-club football ownership group), Christie knows what it takes to rebuild when your identity shifts.In this episode, Christie shares:✨ Why starting over at the bottom is hard when you've been #1 your whole life✨ How she made a list of sports you can peak in at 30+ (strategic career planning)✨ Going from "tragically awful with all balls" to Australian beach volleyball team✨ The moment you retire: when you stop feeling progress✨ Why all things get done by people (relationships > tasks)✨ Transitioning from athlete to coach to investor and speaker✨ The mindset shifts required when you change careers entirely✨ How to travel the world on a budget (60+ countries, pet-sitting across America)Whether you're an athlete, entrepreneur, or high achiever facing a major transition, Christie's story will inspire you to embrace starting from scratch while leveraging everything you've learned.About Christie Jenkins:Christie Jenkins is an elite athlete, keynote speaker, investor, and Co-Founder of FC32, a multi-club football ownership group. 12-time national trampoline champion, Australian team member in three sports, and top 10 in the world across all three. Now she's bringing the athlete's mindset to business and investing.🏐 Learn more at https://www.christiejenkins.com.au/The growth engine for women who mean business.http://f5collective.com

0:00 Opening: Only 10% of Your Time is Your Passion1:31 Growing Up Creative: Grandmother, Opera Singer Mom2:46 Learning Art from Grandmother3:13 Fashion: The Perfect Mix of Art & Engineering4:23 Navigating the Intense Apparel Industry5:18 Finding Your Unique Strengths in Fashion6:06 Fantasy Erotica: Discovering a Hidden Passion7:06 Luis Royo & The Cambrian Explosion8:19 She-Ra & Creating Warrior Women11:11 Transitioning from Art to Business17:52 Sacred Geometry in Textile Design21:05 Opening the Boutique Store27:52 Staffing Challenges & Finding the Right People30:06 The Reality: Only 10% is Passion30:48 You Cannot Do It By Yourself31:16 Falling Flat on Your Face & Getting Back Up32:05 Law of Reciprocity: There's Always an Audience33:29 Sacred Geometry & Mathematical Precision in ArtArtist and fashion designer Lulu Zagame shares the unfiltered truth about turning creative passion into a thriving business. From learning watercolor from her grandmother to running her own boutique, Lulu opens up about the realities of entrepreneurship that nobody talks about.In this episode, we dive into:✨ Why you only get to spend 10% of your time on your actual passion✨ The truth about falling flat on your face (multiple times) and why it's worth it✨ How sacred geometry and mathematical precision show up in her textile designs✨ Balancing motherhood, staffing challenges, and creative calling✨ Why you absolutely cannot do it aloneWhether you're an artist, designer, or entrepreneur building something from the ground up, Lulu's story will inspire you to keep going—even when it gets hard.About Lulu Zagame:Lulu is an artist, fashion designer, author, and owner of Lulu Zagame Clothing Store. Her work blends textile illustration with nature-inspired designs, creating wearable art that tells a story. https://www.luluzagame.comThe growth engine for women who mean business.http://www.f5collective.com

0:00 Opening: You Have to Be Comfortable with Not Knowing0:43 Introduction2:10 Entrepreneurial Background & Family3:40 Landing in TV Production6:03 How Yoga Changed Everything7:36 The Decision to Teach Yoga8:15 Opening the First Studio10:51 Expanding to Multiple Locations13:01 Managing 26 Teachers17:55 Work-Life Balance & Setting Boundaries20:06 Writing "Finding Home" & The Journal21:04 Different Types of Yoga Practices23:59 Pivoting During COVID25:27 The Difficult Decision to Close27:25 Teaching Online vs In-Person30:09 Staying Connected with Students49:55 Rapid Five Q&A1:06:43 Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs1:08:57 Five Things to Start a BusinessFrom TV game shows to yoga studio owner and published author—Mahnaz Jahangiri shares how she built a business around helping people, even when she didn't have all the answers.In this episode, Mahnaz opens up about:✨ Why being comfortable with not knowing is essential for entrepreneurs✨ The transition from Jeopardy! and The Price is Right to opening Samadhi Yoga✨ How every job prepares you for the next (even when it doesn't seem related)✨ Finding your dharma and building a business you'd do for free✨ Creating community through service, not just transactions✨ The five things to keep in mind when starting a businessWhether you're transitioning careers, starting from scratch, or building something that aligns with your values, Mahnaz's journey proves that you don't need to have it all figured out to begin.About Mahnaz Jahangiri:Mahnaz is the Director and Owner of Samadi Yoga in Thousand Oaks, California, and the author of "Finding Home: A Path to Emotional Stability & Self-Healing." She helps people find balance, grounding, and wellness through mindful movement and self-discovery.📖 Find Mahnaz's book and journal at http://SamadiYoga.comThe growth engine for women who mean business.http://www.f5collective.com