PODCAST · business
Startups in Stilettos
by Entreprenista Network
Have you recently started a business, or are you considering taking the leap to start? Do you find yourself alone or overwhelmed in the whirlwind of early challenges in your Entreprenista journey? Well, you’re in the right place - Startups in Stilettos is for you. Learn what it takes to grow your startup, from your peers in the startup world, and those who are in your shoes (or stilettos, if you will) We’re meeting you where you are to get you through your biggest challenges and toward your biggest goals. From the team behind the Entreprenista podcast, tune in to Startups in Stilettos as you take steps to build your startup from the ground up. So what can you expect from Startups in Stilettos? Each week, we’ll interview a startup founder in our community to uncover their early challenges, learn from the solutions they’ve found, make new connections, and strategize for the future growth of their business. You’ll walk away with practical tips and resources to help yo
Episodes
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Elizabeth Watson Helps Founders Recover Their Lost Energy
“I hate the phrase “Its not personal, it's just business ", not for an entrepreneur. Our business is our baby. It's another piece of us. It is personal.” On this episode of Startups in Stilettos, Ingrid Zapata-Read and Carlyn Bushman sit down with Elizabeth Watson, founder of Sovereign Success...
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Emily Dean on Building a Brand That Reflects Who You’re Becoming
“If you deleted your logo, your fonts, you colors tomorrow would anyone still be able to explain what you do and why you do it and if not you don't have a brand yet. You have a look.” On this episode of Startups in Stilettos, Carlyn Bushman and Ingrid Zapata-Read sit down with Emily Dean, founder...
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Katie Miller Turns Personal Story Into Magnetic Brand Strategy
“So the more dialed in to your story, the easier it is gonna be to find your people.” On this episode of Startups and Stilettos, Carlyn Bushman and Ingrid Zapata-Read sit down with Katie Miller, founder of Portia and Cleo, a marketing studio specializing in women-led and community-based…
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Marta Spirk Turns Personal Stories Into Signature Talks
“Cause anyone can speak and I think everyone should speak.You know go out there and find opportunities” On this episode of Startups in Stilettos, Carlyn Bushman and Ingrid Zapata-Read sit down with Marta Spirk, professional singer turned TEDx speaker, bestselling author, and strategic speaking...
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Natalie Sterling Builds Trust Into Every Palm Beach Luxury Deal
“It was a gamechanger for me. It really opened the doors for what was coming next, and next was just my ambition to go on my own and build my own brand.” On this episode of Startups in Stilettos, Carlyn Bushman and Ingrid Zapata-Read sit down with luxury real estate entrepreneur Natalie Sterling…
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Jaclyn Ionin Protects Founders' Brands Before It's Too Late
“It became both important and a point of pride for me to then be able and do it in the other direction once I really did feel like I had the expertise.” On this episode of Startups in Stilettos, Ingrid Zapata-Read sits down with Jaclyn Ionin, trademark and business attorney and founder of Ionin...
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Sydney Dozier Built Her Own Renaissance
Resources: If you're interested in attending the Renaissance Women’s Summit use code "Entreprenista" at checkout for 25% off a ticket. The Renaissance Podcast “We have to be building towards creating profitability in the business. Not just revenue, but profit, and really understanding what that…
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Danielle Ruess Builds Skincare Rooted in Health, Not Hype
“I want to teach women to read an ingredient list and actually simply understand, not every ingredient, but what they need to be looking for.” On this episode of Startups in Stilettos, Ingrid Zapata-Read sits down with Danielle Ruess, founder of Ionian Skincare, to discuss how a personal skincare...
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Erica Wood Turns Client Experience Into Your Growth Strategy
“Business spend a lot of money and a lot of time on marketing and sales, but once the client actually signs the contract its kind of like “okay we got them in the door, now what?” In this episode of Startups in Stilettos, Ingrid Zapata-Read sits down with Erica Wood, founder of Client Journey...
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Joy Errico Helps Founders to Communicate With Confidence
Resources: The Most Expensive Line Item in Your Business Isn’t on Your P&L “So that's what gets me up in the morning. I love working with people and seeing them transform.” In this episode of Startups in Stilettos, host Carlyn Bushman sits down with Joy Errico, founder of Maven Row Communications...
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Lori Lalonde Coaches Women to Own the Room
“Every person regardless of their role operates as an individual leader. And when you eventually get to leadership, what do you want people to know you for?” In this episode of Startups in Stilettos, Carlyn Bushman sits down with Lori Lalonde, founder of Her Executive Ascent and former Microsoft...
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Founders Weekend Panel: Give First, Grow Together
“If you don't open up and share your story, you're never going to find the people who are meant to find you and that you're meant to find.” In this special live episode of Startups in Stilettos, host Ingrid Zapata-Read sit down with three accomplished Entreprenista members—Emily, founder of...
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Jess Gleim Helps Founders Make Meta Ads Pay for Themselves
Resources: Meta Ads Readiness Checklist “So I just decided to participate way more in Entreprenista and that changed my damn life last year and like 70% of my leads last year were from women that I met that wanted to talk about ads.” In this episode of Startups in Stilettos, hosts Carlyn Bushman...
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Luba Patlakh Helps Parents Navigate Their Kids' Development
Resources: Bobo Wears a Bowtie “So all of these pieces started to come together to become this personal brand. The voice of the families. That's who I am.” What does it take to pivot careers, build a million-dollar business, and impact the lives of more than 150,000 families? In this inspiring...
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Hayleigh Hayhurst Teaches Founders to Build Podcasts With Real Strategy Behind Them
“Understanding your audience and creating something specifically for them is the best approach you could take with any of this.” What does it really take to launch a podcast that drives business growth? This week on Startups in Stilettos, Ingrid Zapata-Read and Carlyn Bushman sit down with…
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Dr. Dominique Carson Proves Two Callings Can Become One Business
“An inspirational vision is not a pipedream. Give it a chance to mature and reveal its true potential” In this inspiring episode of Startups in Stilettos, hosts Carlyn Bushman and Ingrid Zapata-Read sit down with Dr. Dominique Carson—licensed massage practitioner, journalist, author, and founder…
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Devin Lee Helps Service Businesses Stop Running on Broken Processes
Resources mentioned: Entreprenistas get 35% off Dubsado with code ENTREPRENISTA35 at dubsado.com/entreprenista. “Once you launch into entrepreneurship and start providing a service, you need to figure out how you are bringing your money in and how you are presenting yourself with your clients…
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Annie Graziani Challenges the Definition of Success Modern Work Created
“We've got to find a way to keep the good people contributing their talents in the workforce.” In this thought-provoking episode of Startups in Stilettos, hosts Carlyn Bushman and Ingrid Zapata-Read sit down with Annie Graziani, founder of Sovera Strategy Company, doctoral researcher at the...
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Ruchi Pinniger Teaches Women Founders to Rewrite Their Money Beliefs
“You can’t outperform your relationship with money.” In this episode of Startups in Stilettos, hosts Carlin Bushman and Ingrid Zapata Reed sit down with Ruchi Pinniger, founder and CEO of Watch Her Prosper, to explore the powerful connection between money mindset and business success. After...
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Suzy Haber Wakefield Teaches Lingerie and Swim Founders to Launch Without Losing Money
“...I had all this knowledge and way of putting design into work because I had learned from my partners to say, yes, it's a creative entity, but you have to have a process to it…” In this episode of Startups and Stilettos, host Carlyn Bushman sits down with product development expert Suzy Haber...
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Sheri Crawley Builds a National Movement for Girls of Color
When you are in alignment with what you're being called to do, which is quite different than just like Googling your way to purpose, you know, like I don't believe that can happen. You have to go within. Then the community is actually pulling you.” In this inspiring live episode of Startups in...
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Kelly Edmondson Turns Personal Loss Into Year-Round Grief Support
“So that's the premise of what we do. We show up when you don't know what to say, when it's hard for you to remember those days, but you don't want to leave someone alone.” In this heartfelt episode of Startups in Stilettos, Ingrid Zapata-Read sits down with Kelly Edmondson, founder of Timely...
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Unlocking Your Unique Brand Strategy with Emily Paulsen
Emily has a long and rich history in the branding world. Over the stretch of 14 years, Emily says she's done everything from skinny jeans to french fries, working in the brand development of companies like Abercrombie & Fitch and Wendy’s. But what she really loves more than anything, is working...
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Ingrid's Biggest Secrets on Turning Community into Real Connections and Growth
“Community forms when people see themselves in your story, your mission, or your message.” In this episode of Startups and Stilettos, Ingrid shares the cornerstone of her business success, community. From building real relationships to creating a support system that persists through both wins and...
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Christina Lenkowski Turns Podcast Appearances Into Paying Clients
"I had so many people that were like, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Could you just do it? And it took me a while to kind of come to terms with that. And I decided, OK, I am going to do this, but I'm going to do it my way.” In this episode of Startups in Stilettos, Ingrid Zapata-Read sits down with...
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Megan Long Coaches Operators to Lead Founder-Led Companies With Confidence
“So that was really the light bulb moment of, I can't be the only other operator out there feeling this alone and isolated, trying to figure it out every single day.” In this episode of Startups in Stilettos, hosts Carlyn Bushman and Ingrid Zapata-Read sit down with Megan Long, founder of Second...
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Gwendolyn Young Teaches Founders to Delegate Without Losing Control
“AI cannot read the room. Right.They don't know what mood or mode that your executive is working within right now or what element.” In this episode of Startups in Stilettos, we dive into one of the most valuable—and limited—resources every founder faces: time. Carlyn Bushman sits down with...
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Heidy De La Cruz Coaches Latina Founders to Launch Podcasts That Pay
“Just get started, right? Progress over perfection. What I teach all the time, what I coach, what I consult on, progress over perfection.” On this episode of Startups in Stilettos, hosts Carlyn Bushman and Ingrid Zapata-Read sit down with award-winning podcaster and coach Heidy De La Cruz to…
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Adair Vilella Provides Operational Clarity for Female Founders
“Don't let it be about control. Don't let it be about guilt. Let it be about, wow, I'm going to be able to accomplish so much more by not having to waste my time on these things that I could hire outsource for.” In this episode of Startups in Stilettos, host Ingrid Zapata-Read sits down with...
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Tamara Munoz Builds Systems That Scale Without You
Take Tamara’s bottleneck quiz “This is not what I want. The easiest way for me to get out of corporate because I was like, I'm going to start my business.” In this episode of Startups in Stilettos, Ingrid Zapata-Read sits down with operations expert and founder of Behind the Screens, Tamara…
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Annie Graybill Builds a Marketplace for Healthier Travel
“...when it's 80% women doing all of the cleaning, it's really important to me on that side, not just the guest side, but the people behind taking care of these places.” What if the place you’re staying on vacation could actually support your health—not compromise it? In this episode of Startups…
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Emily Dempsey Builds Community and Financial Confidence
“These are my core values. And then whether or not that eventually gets shared with partners down the road, it's kind of like your own North Star.” What happens when one woman decides to solve her own loneliness—and ends up building a 70,000-member community? In this episode of Startups in...
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Faith Morris helps Founders Untangle Their Operations
“…help me figure out what I am, because I, that wasn't clear to me as well. If I'm going to be an entrepreneur, what am I?” In this episode of Startups in Stilettos, hosted by Ingrid Zapata-Read, we sit down with operations strategist Faith Morris to unpack the identity crisis so many…
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Jasmine Moseley-Beal Prepares Executives to Lead Through Change
“Well, you know what? I'm going to put a little twist to it because whether he said yes or not, I was going to do it because it was in my gut and it was in my heart to do it.” In this episode of Startups in Stilettos, Ingrid Zapata-Read sits down with Jasmine Moseley Beal — award-winning global...
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Sailynn Doyle Helps Women Build Sustainable Million-Dollar Businesses
“Here's the thing. Systems truly set you free, right? It allows you to scale a business. Once I fine -tuned my machine, you know, after those two years,I literally ran my business remotely between Florida, Massachusetts, because I just put in systems.” In this episode of Startups and Stilettos,...
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Lisa Simone Richards Empowers Female Founders
“...if this goes out and this doesn't work, that's going to suck.But I wanted to actually put it out from a place of very genuine. I don't know how this is going to go. I didn't just publish this because I know what the ending was. So it was a real place of vulnerability for me.”In this episode…
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Ingrid Zapata Read Builds Business Through Community
“And not every idea should be one that you see through, but I feel like the ones that align with your goals and that you feel deeply passionate about are those that you should keep pushing forward.”In this special episode of Startups in Stilettos, hosts Ingrid Zapata-Read and Carlyn Bushman flip...
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Carlyn Bushman Teaches Founders How to Build Businesses that Last
“But it's also like a rising tide lifts all boats. And I mean that not only from moral support and collaboration, but it also is the gap in women starting businesses, growing businesses, but clearly staying in business.” In this special episode of Startups and Stilettos, co-hosts Ingrid...
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Osayi Lasisi Builds Representation One Doll at a Time
“And I feel like being able to teach this at a young age, even if it's like, you know, lemonade stand basics, right? Like, what do you need and how much do you have to spend? And what is it going to take for you to go out there? And what does it mean to actually earn a profit and all of that?”In...
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KJ Blattenbauer Makes Female Founders Pitchworthy
“No one can fund your business. No one can come to your store. No one can purchase your service. If they don't know you exist, if they don't know about it, if they don't know how it can help you, PR does all of those things.”What if visibility isn’t about being louder—but being more relevant? In...
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Tracy Beavers Helps Founders Get Visible without the Burnout
“That's that visibility that I teach for that with that consistent content has to drive to your list or here again, it's just noise. It's just content. That's all it's doing. So visibility without strategy is just noise.”In this episode of Startups and Stilettos, hosts Carlyn Bushman and Ingrid...
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Dionne Ellison Builds an Eyewear Brand That Leads with Vision
“I never really wanted to be in front of the camera with my brand because I wanted to be an eyewear brand, not a black -owned eyewear brand. I didn't want to be pigeonholed into something in people's mind.”In this episode of Startups in Stilettos, hosts Ingrid Zapata-Read and Carlyn Bushman sit...
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The Conversations We're Still Thinking About in 2025
“You truly kept going. You learned along the way. And guess what? You asked for help. You figured things out. And I know we sound like a broken record here, but so many wins, so many plot twists. And once again, you're still here.”In this special year-end episode of Startups in Stilettos, Ingrid...
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Darcy Bennet Transforms How the World Sees Admins
“...Now I feel so secure and confident in what I'm doing that, you know, it's completely different than what I originally set it out to be. But I'm really grateful that it is.” In this episode of Startups and Stilettos, host Ingrid Zapata-Read sits down with Darcy Bennet—founder of DB Executive...
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Nicole Leon Helps Founders Buy Back Their Time
“...I have been able to scale multiple businesses off of organic social media reach alone. No email marketing, no paid ads. Literally just organic reach. And word of mouth. And I mean, I think that speaks volumes to it.”In this inspiring episode of Startups in Stilettos, we sit down with...
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Jade Pruett Gets Women-Owned Brands Found Online
"I think what really sets a lot of different agencies apart is how they acquire backlinks because there's so many. And that's another one of those terms, like, who even knows what that means. It's very important to get other websites to talk about your website.”In this episode of Startups in...
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Katya Eckert Crafts Sleepwear That Supports Hormonal Wellness
“And we reached out to them. I was like, I really want to do this self -care giveaway. I really want to elevate this like process of self-care…”On this episode of Startups in Stilettos, host Carlyn Bushman sit down with Entreprenista League member Katya Eckert, founder and CEO of A DOMANI, the...
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Sequoia Armstrong Inspires Women to Explore with Intention
“I've been in a number of communities and I think that sharing your challenges and your, even fear, you know, fears and challenges and your wins, which I think as women can be very hard sometimes to do with others…” In this episode of Startups In Stilettos, host Ingrid Zapata-Read sit down with...
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Allyse Cirillo Redefines Clean Beauty from the Inside Out
“We all feel that way. We all feel like where do we start? You know, you can't do everything every day all the time. So just creating those little habits and little changes.”On this episode of Startups and Stilettos, host Ingrid Zapata-Read sits down with Allyse Cirillo, Founder and CEO of St.…
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Nina Sarin Arias Grows a Global Luxury Brand from the Ground Up
“I'm happy to be growing organically and, you know, taking my time with it. I'm not in a rush. So I think that's what I've learned in the past kind of eight, nine, eight years since I've had the brand. It's just, it's going to take time.”What does it take to trade a corporate career at Burberry…
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Have you recently started a business, or are you considering taking the leap to start? Do you find yourself alone or overwhelmed in the whirlwind of early challenges in your Entreprenista journey? Well, you’re in the right place - Startups in Stilettos is for you. Learn what it takes to grow your startup, from your peers in the startup world, and those who are in your shoes (or stilettos, if you will)
We’re meeting you where you are to get you through your biggest challenges and toward your biggest goals. From the team behind the Entreprenista podcast, tune in to Startups in Stilettos as you take steps to build your startup from the ground up.
So what can you expect from Startups in Stilettos? Each week, we’ll interview a startup founder in our community to uncover their early challenges, learn from the solutions they’ve found, make new connections, and strategize for the future growth of their business. You’ll walk away with practical tips and resources to help yo
HOSTED BY
Entreprenista Network
CATEGORIES
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Startups in Stilettos have?
Startups in Stilettos currently has 240 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Startups in Stilettos about?
Have you recently started a business, or are you considering taking the leap to start? Do you find yourself alone or overwhelmed in the whirlwind of early challenges in your Entreprenista journey? Well, you’re in the right place - Startups in Stilettos is for you. Learn what it takes to grow your...
How often does Startups in Stilettos release new episodes?
Startups in Stilettos publishes regularly with 240 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Startups in Stilettos?
You can listen to Startups in Stilettos on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Startups in Stilettos?
Startups in Stilettos is created and hosted by Entreprenista Network.
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