Mimir

Colin McIntosh started Sheets and Giggles in 2017 and scaled it to $1.4 million per month by 2020. Last November, after eight years of building through COVID, supply chain crises, and a 2025 tariff shock that killed his first acquisition deal three days after Liberation Day, he sold the company.I couldn’t wait to talk to Colin. I came with pen and paper in hand poised to document his meteoric rise. I had to know how he did it so I could replicate it. But in our conversation, he tells me why he wouldn't build it the same way again.Colin is incredibly honest about the cost of scaling at that speed and right now, he’s a founder in recovery mode. I loved being able to pick his brain on all the mistakes he made, lessons he learned, and triumphs along the way. We talk about what strategic category selection looks like in practice, the three barriers that block new businesses (capital, complexity, risk), and why personal domain expertise is the only durable advantage in an AI era where the tools are commodity.But what I can’t stop thinking about is his perspective on why entrepreneurs don’t get enough empathy and the structural challenges to starting a business in America today. It felt like we were both realizing at the same time that the best thing you can do as an early stage founder today is build a brand that’s like yourself. One that comes from a passion, a mission to help others that only you're equipped to serve.So if you’re an early stage founder who doesn’t want to hear the raw truth of building, then keep scrolling. But the real ones know, entrepreneurship isn’t always glamorous.Connect with Colin:SheetsGiggles.com - my first company that we talked about a lot, sustainable beddingSheetsResume.com - AI Resume Builder and Job Search PlatformColinDMcIntosh.com - where people can go to learn more about meDive into ⁠The Well on Substack⁠! Buy me a matcha!playlist of what founders are listening to

I don’t know about you guys but 2026 for me is certainly earning it’s title as year of the fire horse. I truly feel like I’ve been riding a fire breathing horse bareback at full speed. I’m just here holding onto the mane for dear life and he’s burning down what use to be. If you feel the same way, then this episode is for you.Last week I sat down with Allie Stark and it ended up being one of the most useful, fun, and fulfilling conversations I’ve had in a good minute. Allie coaches ambitious women through big chapters of growth and change, and she put articulate language on the experience of change. The way of being that got you here isn't going to get you there, and the in-between, the part where the old self is leaving and the new one hasn't shown up yet, is messy in ways nobody really warns you about. For some of us, it’s dramatic, for others it’s not, but I think it’s universal for everyone, especially us founders.We cover a lot in this episode. The feminine economy, and what it looks like to build a business on generosity and reciprocity instead of grinding. The kind of leader who can actually change you. Why entrepreneurship is essentially identity work in disguise. And the single most concrete exercise to do during times of change. I did it over the weekend.But the part of this conversation that genuinely changed how I'm thinking about my life right now was when I told Allie my deepest fear: what if I work so hard but I don’t get what I want. She didn't hand me a pep talk. She asked the question back at me sideways: what if you could be more playful and still get what you want? I've been thinking about that in every single instance of my life since. For anyone who runs on hustle and worries it might not actually work, that question is the whole episode.For the early-stage founders listening, especially the women: we are in a wildly transformative cultural moment, and if the old way of doing things doesn't fit anymore, then this episode is exactly what you need. Allie hands you a softer way of asking the question, and a few real ways of meeting yourself in the middle.Mentioned by Allie:The Awakened BrainThe feminine economy - sistersConnect with Allie:Check out Noria: my learning & development platform for a new era of living & leadingASW Connect with Maddie:Dive into ⁠The Well on Substack⁠! Buy me a matcha!playlist of what founders are listening to

Today I'm sitting down with Danielle Brooks, the founder of Honey Truck, a boutique honey brand. Danielle and I met through a podcast matching platform. In her pitch to me she told me that Honey Truck was built in the margins of her life. She didn't have the luxury of building fast, so she had to learn how to build intentionally.It felt like she was speaking directly to me. I mean she was, but more specifically, she was speaking to a circumstance I am all too familiar with. I too am building in the margins of my life, constantly hunting for the path through the trees that gets me out and into the horizon of the future I want.I learned a lot from Danielle, but the lesson that leapt out to me was how she didn't manufacture a differentiator. She paid close attention to what was already special about her product instead of searching the competition for where she fit in. She noticed her honeys looked different, tasted different, depending on where her bees lived. And she built her entire brand around that. As a marketer, that's what I'm always looking for. Not something engineered, and as founders that’s a lesson you need to pay attention to.We also get into the mechanics of building a product-based business, from wholesale pricing to the question I think every founder building in the margins needs to ask themselves: Do I have a business or do I have an expensive hobby?And Danielle shares a version of work-life balance that is the opposite of hustle culture. It's about doing the next right thing. Even when it's painfully slow, even when the gap between where you are and where you want to be feels impossible to close.Honestly, that's the version of entrepreneurship that I designed this podcast to tell. If your scrappy beginning has you wondering whether you're doing it right, this is exactly what you needed to hear today.Connect with Danielle:Website: www.honeytruck.comSocial media: @honeytruckcoDive into ⁠The Well on Substack⁠! Buy my matcha this week!

If you’re a female founder then you’ll probably know this feeling all too well. You’re trying to launch a business but you’re also thinking about getting married, starting a family and it feels like the sand is slipping through the hourglass knowing that neither is going to stop and wait for you.I’m right there with you. I’m getting married next year and my fiance and I are talking about kids. But my business is in the earliest of early stages and I can’t help but feel regret, like I should’ve started this business earlier. I find myself rushing, trying to get as much built as possible before my whole life changes. Being a female founder, this is the reality. You don’t know how you’re going to manage both.Talking to Emma Stallworthy, founder of Your Reformer, was not only educational from a business perspective, for me, it was a sigh of relief.Emma launched Your Reformer right after her second baby. She didn’t say it was easy or glamorous. But she told me that passion will carry you through the hard seasons. The business didn’t pull her away from being a mom, it made her a better one. That was what I took from this episode.But we also get into the stuff that makes her business worth studying. The economics of a reformer rental that I’m shook no other fitness founder is replicating. Why she refuses to use the word pivot. How she mapped her entire product ecosystem around a single customer lifecycle so that Your Reformer could meet someone wherever they are in their Pilates journey and grow with them. And finally, what nobody tells you about all the costs of scaling globally.If you’re starting a fitness brand, navigating life changes as a founder, or curious about alternative approaches to fitness business models, then this episode is for you.Connect with Emma:Your ReformerEmma's LinkedInYour Reformer InstagramDive into ⁠The Well on Substack⁠! Buy me a matcha!

Most founders sit down to post on social media and go completely blank. But I have good news! You don’t actually have a content problem, you have a clarity problem.At my 9-5 creating content is easy because someone handed me the mission, I’ve learned the market well enough to know exactly what pain points we need to address and how our product solves them. The content writes itself.That infrastructure: mission, audience, pain points, outcomes, etc. is the part founders skip. They start posting because it feels like that’s what you’re supposed to do, and you are. But content without the foundation is not a strategy, so it’s no wonder you feel confused.That’s why I brought Emma Tessler on to the podcast. Emma Tessler is the founder of Ninety Five Media and has been in social media since 2015. She has worked with hundreds of brands and she does not pull punches. Every single piece of advice she gives in this episode is downstream of one question: does this actually serve your specific audience, or are you posting because it feels like progress?In our convo we cover what to do in the first 30 days of posting, what metrics you should be focusing on and spoiler alert, it’s not comments or follower count. What successful founder content looks like, and why paid options should always come last.There is also a moment where we talk about an important nuance that I need every early-stage founder to hear. Nobody cares about your values. Values are internal. Your mission is what converts because it names the problem you solve and the person you are solving it for.Make sure you stay through to the end because Emma shares her marketing growth blueprint built specifically for early-stage founders who want an expert-led strategy they can execute on their own. If you are ready to stop throwing spaghetti at the wall, this episode is for you.Connect with Emma:Get $500 off your Marketing Growth Blueprint - exclusively for MiMir Podcast listeners!**WebsiteInstagramEmma’s LinkedInNinety Five LinkedInThe Stop Scrolling, Start Scaling PodcastLooking for more from Mimir? Dive into ⁠The Well on Substack⁠! If you'd like to support this podcast, I would be deeply honored if you buy me a matcha!

Rashmi Aimiuwu moved from Canada to Silicon Valley. The literal epicenter of tech, and spent months quietly wondering if she had any business being there. No engineering degree. No startup experience. Just 17 years in commercial real estate marketing and a growing frustration with birthday parties.That frustration became GIVA, a gift-giving platform that just launched in beta. And in this episode, Rashmi pulls back the curtain on every step of getting there. From teaching herself to build a prototype with AI tools to firing her developer two and a half months into an MVP and starting from scratch.Rashmi is the earliest stage founder I've ever had on Mimir, and that's exactly why I wanted her here. This show is for early stage founders, and her story mirrors yours more than almost anyone I've talked to. She's figuring it out in real time, building in a space she didn't come from, without a roadmap. Honestly, I'm learning right alongside her. I wanted to bring this conversation to the forefront because it shines a light on the parts that have to happen before you get the big breaks.After listening to our conversation, you’ll walk away with how she validated the idea before writing a single line of code, what it felt like to jump into a business with zero technical background and sit with that imposter syndrome for months. and what she wishes she'd done differently with her name and brand from day one.It's one of those conversations that's going to hit differently depending on where you are in your journey. But if you're early, you need this one.Connect with Rashmi:Givva's website & her LinkedIn profileIf you enjoyed this episode and want more, dive into ⁠The Well on Substack⁠! And if you feel called to support this podcast, I’d be deeply honored if you Buy me a matcha!

Today’s conversation is about the uncomfortable truths of entrepreneurship. Something every early stage founder needs to get familiar with.I’m sitting down with Irene Saliendra, a serial founder who has built across multiple industries, from sustainable fashion to women’s health tech, and now runs Digital Flow.So many founder stories get told in hindsight. But when you’re in it, the reality is a lot messier.I experienced this myself when starting a company. You’re putting yourself in rooms where you feel underqualified. You’re figuring out co-founder dynamics, equity structures, accelerators, and fundraising, often for the first time.And sometimes you’re doing all of that while still trying to hold down a job, pay bills, and convince people your idea is worth believing in. I’m still doing this!So it was really refreshing to sit down with Irene and talk about what it takes to move before you feel ready. Irene is sharing tips for validating your idea, how to ask better questions instead of just pitching harder, and all the unsexy, and often awkward motions you need to put in place to have healthy co-founder relationships.We also unpack accelerators and fundraising. I imagine these things are top of mind for any founder in the early stages as it was for me. So I had Irene dive deep. You’ll learn when they’re useful, when they’re not, and what they’re actually designed to do.But one of the most powerful takeaways from this conversation is something deeper.Building a company doesn’t just create businesses. Those can come and go.What entrepreneurship really builds is self-trust.Once you’ve navigated uncertainty enough times you start to realize that no matter what happens next, you know how to begin again. And that’s a kind of confidence no one can take away from you.If you want an honest look at what early-stage entrepreneurship actually feels like, keep listening. Because sticking through the uncomfortable parts of the journey is often exactly what changes you.Connect with Irene:websitelinkedinDive into ⁠The Well on Substack⁠If you feel called to support this podcast, I'd be honored if you Buy me a matcha!

Today’s guest is Samantha Diamond, co-founder of Bird&Be, a reproductive health company built alongside fertility doctors to help people be proactive about their fertility — from “trimester zero” through pregnancy and postpartum.What I learned from Sam is that empathy, when embedded into how you build, becomes a competitive advantage — especially in stagnant industries.Fertility, and female healthcare more broadly, hasn’t meaningfully evolved in how it shows up for customers. There’s very little empathy for the emotional reality of the journey.Sam saw that gap firsthand, and what she’s done with Bird&Be proves that mission-driven founders build more than just products. They have the power to shift the culture that surrounds those products.Through intentional product design, obsessive customer listening, and a retail partnership with Ulta, Bird&Be has moved reproductive health from the back corner of the pharmacy into the beauty and overall wellness conversation.If you’re building in fintech, healthtech, edtech, climate, HR — any space where trust matters and culture feels stuck — this conversation will show you how mission, when embedded deeply enough, can become your edge.You’ll learn how Sam operationalizes empathy at every level of the business. And what it actually takes to go from an idea in 2016 to a national retail expansion in 2025. We unpack the long timeline, the patience, and the strategic decisions required to scale without losing the mission.Finally in true Mimir fashion, I couldn’t let Sam go without asking her how being a founder has shaped her as a person. She’s sharing the key to resilience, putting in uncomfortable reps, and how to found in spaces you don’t have technical expertise in.Keep listening to learn how empathy can move from pretty words to infrastructure — and how that shift can change not just your industry, but the culture surrounding it.Dive into the well on Substack! Buy me a matcha!Connect with Sam:birdandbe.com@birdbecoLinkedIn

I originally wrote this piece as a Substack essay, but as we head into 2026, aka the season of vision boards and productivity hacks, I wanted to bring it to the podcast too. This topic has been sitting with me for a long time because I think so many of us struggle with the same fear: Why am I not reaching my goal fast enough? And even when we do hit a milestone, why does the joy disappear almost instantly?I started questioning the illusion of progress we all subscribe to. If reaching the dream is fleeting… then what’s the point?I explore that question through a few different lenses: Ecclesiastes, the story of Exodus, and even my very humbling personal experiences. What ties it together is this: success doesn’t save us from doubt. So, a big part of this episode is about learning how to enjoy the work. But that requires something most of us aren’t taught to cultivate: self-grace. When you treat yourself like a creator instead of a critic, you actually build the emotional safety required to notice the small wins, learn from mistakes, and feel proud in the middle.Going into the holidays, if you’ve been feeling stuck, discouraged, or disconnected from your own progress, this episode is going to give you language and logic for what you’re experiencing, and a path forward that is more sustainable than any productivity hack.Thanks for listening! Come hang out on Substack over the holidays.And if you’re going to try your own 60-day habit stack, tell me what you’re choosing so we can keep each other accountable.

I once heard one of my favorite founders say that despite her huge social following, the channel that actually moves her business forward is her email list. Most of us already know email matters. But how many of us truly understand why?I brought Kieryn Wang, Founder of ALLMOST, to the podcast to help answer two questions:Why should founders treat email as a core growth channel?And how do you actually start building one from scratch?Kieryn has over 13 years of experience in some of the hardest industries to market, like cannabis, alcohol, sex tech, where social accounts get shut down all the time. She learned early that owned channels simply aren’t optional. They’re critical for survival.Half of our conversation is super tactical. Kieryn walks through how to get from zero to your first 500 subscribers, what makes a newsletter worth opening, and how to understand your metrics so they become a source of insight instead of insecurity. I actually implemented one of her tips right after we recorded and saw immediate conversion — so trust me, it works.But this episode goes beyond newsletter best practices.One of the reasons that email is a core growth channel is that it gives founders clarity. It tells you what resonates, what’s confuses, and what moves customers to buy. Even more so, email is one of the few tools that protects future you.Kieryn shares her learning lesson that working on the business is just as important as working in the business. Most founders only do the work that keeps the business alive today, but the results of that work don’t show up until 30–90 days later. The same is true in reverse: when you stop building channels or nurturing an audience, the consequences show up 90 days later when you have no pipeline.That’s why systems like email matter. It’s one of the few channels that keeps nurturing, compounding, and generating demand while you’re operating the business.So if you’ve been stuck while trying to build your own newsletter, or it’s something that’s on your radar for 2026 goals, this episode is going to teach you not just how to do it, but also why it’s critical that you stay on top of it.Connect with Kieryn: Website: https://www.itsallmost.comSocial: https://www.instagram.com/itsallmostMembership Community: The Conversion Club Special Offer for Mimir listeners: use code MIMIR for $30 off the first monthIf you enjoyed this episode and you're looking for more, dive into ⁠The Well on Substack⁠! There you'll find more founder wisdom, and essays on entrepreneurship.

If you’re building something mission-driven, you know the real challenge isn’t choosing between purpose and profit, it’s learning how to honor both at the same time.We talk about “values” and “purpose” like they’re complicated strategies. But one of the things that really landed for me in this conversation is how simple the right decisions become when your mission is real.Who you are as a person leaks into how you build. The real question is: how far, and how deep, are you willing to take your mission?Today’s guest has spent her entire career doing exactly that.Kat Dey is the co-founder and president of Ettitude. Through proprietary innovations like CleanBamboo®, Ettitude creates sustainable bedding, bath essentials, apparel, and textiles, offering a clean, plant-based alternative to highly polluting materials like cotton, viscose, silk, and cashmere. Kat’s a serial entrepreneur who has spent more than 15 years building, scaling, and selling mission-driven companies.In this episode, Kat translates mission into real operating decisions, from sourcing standards and packaging to performance reviews and customer promises, and why scaling a mission-driven company isn’t about being “pure,” but about making values-aligned choices that also show up in the numbers.We talk through what B Corp certification actually entails, and why early founders can use it as a compass long before applying. Kat also opens up about healthy co-founder dynamics, and shares the three tactical levers she believes drive hypergrowth.What I love about Kat is that she’s honest about tradeoffs. She talks about removing plastic packaging even though it was more expensive. She talks about transparency with her team, and the reality that you can’t make a positive environmental impact if you’re not a financially sustainable business.If you’re an early-stage founder building something with heart and you want to scale, this conversation will give you both clarity and tactics for the road ahead.Keep listening to turn your mission into an operating system, not just a tagline. Oh, and stay tuned until the end to get an exclusive discount code to shop at Ettitude.Connect with Kat:Get 25% off your purchase at Ettitude with discount code MIMIR25LinkedInIf you enjoyed this episode and you're looking for more, dive into ⁠The Well on Substack⁠! There you'll find more founder wisdom, and essays on entrepreneurship.

Jon Levesque spent three years posting every single Tuesday and Thursday without missing a day.If he had vacations, he’d plan ahead. If he wanted a break, he built a backlog.That level of consistency grew into a global community and a career at Microsoft and DocuSign.But what happens when the community builder decides to start over?After getting laid off in 2025, Jon went all in on his startup, Seeq, a creator monetization platform born out of his frustration with Yelp and his belief that travel creators deserve to get something in return for helping us plan our trips. Jon shares his founder journey which started with late-night Figma prototypes and gut-driven decisions. But, what I saw was a crash course in how to build trust with yourself and with your audience online.We talk about the feedback loop of self-belief — how saying, doing, and proving to yourself that you can do hard things rewires your brain to keep going, even when it feels like you’re shouting into the void.And we dig into the future of the creator economy. We’re living through a shift from the attention economy to the trust economy, where credibility and human connection are the real currencies of growth.Jon breaks down the tactics every early-stage founder craves when it comes to building community versus building an audience (yes, they’re different — and you’ll hear me learn that in real time). We even use Mimir as an example, so you’ll hear me get real about my own creative process and where I’ve struggled to grow online.This episode is more than the 5 steps to build an online community. This episode is for those seeking to realign their values in business, in audience building, and in ourselves toward something more human.Connect with Jon:http://seeq.ing/https://www.jonlevesque.com/If you enjoyed this episode and you're looking for more, dive into The Well on Substack! Here you'll find more founder wisdom, and essays on entrepreneurship.

Something I’ve come to learn about founders is that, for most of them, even if this path wasn’t their first choice, they’d still tell you they wouldn’t trade it for anything. They’ll also be the first to admit it’s really hard — that this path asks more of them than they thought they had to give. But there’s something in that discomfort that makes them feel alive. And for some founders, comfort isn’t peace — it’s paralysis.For Bryce DeCora, that moment came at Boeing—steady paycheck, proud parents, and a creeping sense that his work was lacking purpose. The pain of staying put finally outweighed the fear of leaving. And in that space between stability and self-belief, he built the first pieces of what would become CloseBot.Bryce’s path looks clean in hindsight—engineer to software tinkerer to founder of an AI company that helps small businesses grow. But what struck me in our conversation wasn’t the linearity. It was the chaos he chose to keep moving through: the months spent teaching himself the skills he needed, the pressure of raising money from people who believed in him, and the quiet shift from builder to leader. It’s a reminder that entrepreneurship isn’t just about what you create — it’s about who you become when things are challenging and you have to keep going anyway.The truth is, every founder hits that point when curiosity collides with responsibility, and you have to decide whether you’ll keep building even when there’s no proof yet that it will work. This conversation is about that moment — the faith to keep going, and the quiet transformation that happens when you do.Connect with Bryce:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iambryce/Check out CloseBot: https://closebot.com/

Dinner dishes soaking in the sink, kids tucked into their routines — that’s where my conversation with Tamara Laine began. Which felt fitting, because so much of her story is about weaving the everyday chaos of life with the wild, exhilarating act of building something new. Before she was a founder, Tamara spent 15 years digging into other people’s stories as a journalist and documentary filmmaker. What she carried with goes beyond storytelling—it was a relentless curiosity, a refusal to stop until she found the root of a problem.That instinct served her well when she started MPWR, a company tackling a problem hiding in plain sight: how tens of millions of gig workers are shut out of financial systems designed for W-2 employees. The same investigative drive that once uncovered truths for documentaries now fuels her obsession with solving this inequity.But what makes Tamara’s journey so Mimir coded isn’t only the problem she’s solving but how she’s had to grow herself along the way. Learning to chase the hardest questions. Learning to build with advisors who won’t flatter her. Learning to lead not just with inspiration, but with empathy.This is a conversation about what happens when a founder’s eye for truth collides with the reality of building. About the grit to keep asking, to keep digging, even when the easy answer would be to stop.Connect with Tamara:

Some businesses begin with a market analysis or a spreadsheet. Verdant began with a friendship, a love of lingerie, and a belief that what we wear closest to our skin should move with us through every version of ourselves. My guest today, Eleanor, co-founded Verdant in New York alongside her friend Michelle — Verdant is their own story of resilience, craftsmanship, and confidence stitched into silk and lace.What struck me most in this conversation isn’t just how they’re hand-sewing embellishments in and testing out pieces themselves or navigating the realities of luxury e-commerce. It’s the deeper thread: how easy it is for women founders to undervalue their expertise and how to reclaim that authority. Eleanor shares candidly about self-doubt, about learning who your customer really is (hint: it’s rarely who you thought at the start), and about the balance between grace and grit that entrepreneurship demands.This episode is for anyone standing at that uncertain edge, wondering if they know enough, if they’re ready. Eleanor’s story reminds us that business is never just product — it’s community, it’s self-trust, it’s evolution. So let’s dive in.Connect with Eleanor:WebsiteInstagram

In this episode, I sit down with Shahd Asaly founder of Blue Meets Blue, a slow-fashion line that employs refugee artisans and weaves humanitarian values into every stitch. Shahd’s journey, from a background in psychology and trauma research to building a purpose-driven fashion company, quickly opened into something bigger: how business can be a tool for healing, for connection, and for challenging societal narratives.We dive deep into the nuts and bolts of building a mission-driven brand. The lessons Shahd learned building a sustainable, made-to-order fashion line from supply chains to making intentional choices around values and growth.But we also step back to the broader picture: how overconsumption is tied to loneliness, why so many great products lose their soul when they scale, and what it takes to hold onto your “why” when the easy path would be compromise.This episode is more than a business chat, it’s the kind of conversations that remind me why I do what I do. It’s a conversation about the role of entrepreneurs in shaping culture — and a reminder that every choice we make in business has the power to ripple far beyond our bottom line.Connect with Shahd: AKBA AuthorIG | Website | 

I am passionate about entrepreneurship because business is more than a product or chasing profit. I believe entrepreneurship is a vehicle for shaping the world we want to live in — because every choice we make as founders, from the products we create to the cultures we build, has a ripple effect. What we prioritize doesn’t just shape our companies, it shapes markets, communities, and even the expectations of the next generation of entrepreneurs.In this episode, I sit down with Christian LeFer, founder of Instant Nonprofit, to talk about how purpose-driven impact can be baked into the DNA of a business from day one. Christian shares his journey, from discovering the barriers that keep founders from starting nonprofits to creating a platform that makes impact more accessible for everyone.The truth is, the market is changing — customers and employees want to align with businesses that stand for something more than profit. And investors want more than a product, they want a founder with a why that will take them through the hard times.Christian and I get into why “nonprofit” doesn’t mean “no money,” how doing good can actually strengthen your bottom line, and why culture, leadership, and values matter just as much as strategy.At its core, this conversation is about making impact part of entrepreneurship — not an afterthought. Because the reality is, weaving purpose into your business isn’t just the right thing to do, it’s becoming the competitive thing to do.Connect with Christian:FacebookXLinkedInHere´s the link to his gift for listeners: https://instantnonprofit.com/podcasts-mimir

This episode is about what happens when you trust yourself enough to do things differently. At the most fundamental level — your body, your intuition, your customers — it’s all about trust.I’m sitting down with Arielle Loupos. Her founder journey is a masterclass in restraint and trust.Where other founders might’ve rushed an MVP to market, she spent two years testing her product by hand — learning textile science, cutting fabric samples herself, and wearing every prototype before ever selling a single pair.Arielle’s the founder of Flower Girl, a new kind of period underwear rooted in education and intention. Her story is deeply personal — born out of frustration with the products on the market and a quiet but constant knowing that she was meant to build something better.In this episode, we talk about what it means to build a product with intuition, why trust-based products demand a different kind of launch, and how cycle syncing helped Arielle build a business that works with her body, not against it.You don’t build trust in a rush.Not with your customers, and definitely not with yourself. Arielle’s story is a lesson in what happens when you give something the time it deserves.Connect with Arielle:Website: https://flowergirl.co/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flowergirl.co_/Contact: [email protected]

If you’re tuning in today and you’re feeling stuck, heavy, or unsure about your next step… this conversation could change it all. And I’m not saying that to be hyperbolic. That’s exactly what Carolyn Cooper did for me.Carolyn is a love-inspired leader — and when I say that, I don’t mean it in the fluffy, Instagram-quote kind of way. She literally leads with love. It’s the foundation of how she lives, how she works, and how she helps others rise. She’s spent decades building businesses, guiding leaders, and teaching people how to live and work “above the line” — choosing curiosity, possibility, and purpose over doubt, fear, and resentment. It’s a philosophy I’m deeply aligned with.Carolyn has a way of bringing truth to the surface — the kind of truth that makes you pause, take a deep breath, and see your life differently.In this episode, she shares:How to recognize when it’s time to let go — and why courage always lives on the other side of that decision.How to build your dream team so you can live and work with more joy.Her “ask–allow–receive” mantra — and why being receptive is an underrated skill right now.How to bring love into every part of your life so you can actually be happy.But more than any single tip or framework, this episode is about mindset. Carolyn will challenge you to think differently about how you show up in life, who you surround yourself with, and — most importantly — how you see yourself.If you’ve ever felt stuck in negative thinking, drained by the wrong tasks, or unsure how to lead with both strength and empathy, this one’s for you. Whether you’re an early-stage founder, a seasoned leader, or someone navigating a personal pivot, Carolyn’s insights are a masterclass in clarity, courage, and building a life and business you truly love.Because success isn’t just about what you achieve — it’s about who you become in the process.Connect with Carolyn:Website: https://www.theinspiredconnection.ca/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inspiredconnectioninc/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/InspiredBusinessDevelopmentLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/inspiredbusinessdevelopment/Here is her gift: Ready to step into your next level of purpose, potential and prosperity? Unlock “Above the Line Living: 21 Days to Ignite Your Purpose, Presence, and Power with Love”—yourdaily journey to unapologetic self-leadership and authentic joy. Receive Carolyn’s sacredinsights, meditation reflections, and empowering prompts right to your inbox. Choose love. Claim your courage. Transform your living legacy—one inspired day at a time. Begin your journey: https://www.theinspiredconnection.ca/21days

It started as a small kitchen operation, hand-delivering meals to local dog owners in the Texas heat. No fancy warehouse. No marketing team. No plan to take on the billion-dollar pet food industry.Then, in an instant, everything changed.Amy Zalneraitis found herself holding the keys to a business she’d never planned to run — in one of the most complex, unforgiving categories in DTC: cold chain logistics, national shipping, and entrenched competitors with decades of dominance.What happened next? She didn’t just keep the business alive. She scaled it into the leading direct-to-consumer raw pet food brand in the U.S. And along the way, she discovered that growing a company changes you just as much as it changes the market you serve.In this episode, Amy shares how she:Navigated cold chain logistics — and avoided costly mistakesBuilt a brand with an ethos strong enough to win over a skeptical market“Panic learned” her way through fundraising, operations, and scaling challenges she never saw comingAt its core, this is more than a story about pet food. It’s about pairing creativity with operational excellence, staying bold in the face of entrenched competition, and knowing when to reinvent yourself — and your business — to keep growing.Whether you’re a founder scaling your first product, a brand strategist looking for inspiration, or just someone who loves a good underdog story (pun intended), this one’s for you.Connect with Amy:We Feed Raw Instagram HEREAmy's LinkedIn HEREWeFeedRaw's Affiliate Program HEREWe Feed Raw is a subscription-based raw dog food company on a mission to disrupt the norm and make healthy, biologically appropriate food accessible to as many dogs as possible. No more compromises. No more settling. No more ultra-processed junk for an entire lifetime. Just meals dogs' bodies were made for delivered directly to your doorstep.

Most founders spend months trying to figure out how to “get press.” But when Liv Dellanno stumbled into PR, it wasn’t part of a polished business plan—it was a gut feeling, a TikTok following, and a Google search.Liv is the founder of Mystik PR, a modern press agency that works with emerging brands to land meaningful, measurable media coverage. In this episode, we talk about how she built a service-based business from the ground up: navigating rejection, trusting her instincts, and staying human in a world that rewards polish over personality.We also unpack what PR actually is, when brands are ready for it, and why the difference between “visibility” and “traction” matters more than most people realize.In this episode we talk about:What founders need in place before they invest in pressThe truth about rejection, client fit, and founder gut-checksWhy putting yourself out there—again and again—is the real growth engineWhether you’re a founder wondering when to invest in PR, a creative building a service-based business, or just navigating the highs and lows of going out on your own—this one’s for you. If you’ve ever felt like you’re making it up as you go, Liv and I assure you, you’re not alone.Success rarely happens all at once. But Liv and I align on the fact that if you stay in motion, stay curious, and keep talking to people good things start to happen.Connect with Liv:https://mystikpr.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mystikpr/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mystikpr

Founders who leave an already successful career often surprise people.Why walk away from the comfort of a strong corporate trajectory? Why step into the unknown—into something most people shy away from?Entrepreneurship is one of the hardest paths you can take. It’s all-consuming, sometimes demotivating, and scary as hell… so why do it?Anya Cheng didn’t start her entrepreneurial journey in a frenzy. With a powerhouse career at places like Meta, eBay, McDonald’s, and Target, she stepped into startup life with calm, clarity, and a mindset that allowed her to adapt quickly and methodically.In founding Taelor Style—an AI-powered fashion rental service for busy men—Anya faced the same realities every founder encounters: rejection, starting from scratch, navigating self-doubt. But instead of getting lost in the noise, she made deliberate, thoughtful choices that set her business up for long-term success.This isn’t a story about winging it.It’s a conversation about what happens when a founder meets uncertainty with focus—and how even the most impressive resume won’t guarantee traction, but the right mindset will.We talk about:What kind of mindset is required to persevere in entrepreneurshipHow Anya approached market validation with surgical precision—long before the AI was builtHow to get to the root of what you’re selling so you can scale fasterWhy founders today don’t need a technical background to build AI companiesHow her leadership style is rooted in asking better questions, not having all the answersAt Mimir, these interviews are about more than business—they’re about how entrepreneurship shapes us as humans.Anya’s final takeaway left me thinking about the world in a way no guest ever has.Her answer highlights how rare she is as a founder and as a thinker.This episode is for anyone looking to build with care, clarity, and grace—and for founders who want to make intentional decisions even when things feel messy. Anya will help teach you how.So even if you feel like you’re flying by the seat of your pants, steady leadership, sharp judgment, and learning to trust yourself at every step will take you to the finish line.Connect with Anya:Anya Cheng is the Founder and CEO of Taelor, a leading men's clothing subscription service that provides personal styling and curated rentals, powered by expert stylists and AI. A Girls in Tech 40 Under 40 honoree, she previously led eCommerce and digital innovation teams at Meta, eBay, Target, and McDonald's.Experience effortless style with rental and personal styling services:Taelor: Get 25% OFF your first month of men's clothing subscription.Use code: PODCAST25Sign up at: https://taelor.style/pages/membershipArmoire: Get 50% OFF your first month of women's clothing subscription.Use code: ArmoirexTaelorSign up at: https://www.armoire.style/refer/ArmoirexTaelorGive the gift of time, convenience, and effortless style:Taelor Gift Cards Get 10% OFF Use code: PODCASTGIFTPurchase at: https://taelor.style/products/menswear-rental-gift-card

As a founder, you’ll inevitably hit the point where you realize: you can’t do this alone.Maybe your customer base has outgrown you. Maybe you need expertise beyond your own. Either way, what comes after that realization is often daunting.So, I’m sitting down with Emily Bronaugh, founder of Worth of Work, to unpack why hiring feels so hard, why we avoid it, and why scaling a business isn’t just about increasing revenue—it’s about leadership.But this isn’t another checklist about job descriptions or Upwork hacks. We talk about trust, control, and rethinking what it means to be “a boss.”Emily didn’t set out to become a leadership expert—she simply wanted to build a business while raising her son. But along the way, she saw a pattern: founders like her weren’t just struggling to find help… they were struggling to let go.Hiring brings up questions we don’t always talk about:Can I really trust someone else with this thing I built from scratch?What does it mean to empower—not micromanage—a team?How do I become the kind of leader I wish I’d had?Emily and I get into all of it: how to create space, articulate expectations, and relinquish control in a way that feels intentional.We discuss modern leadership, and how it’s about more than climbing a ladder—it’s about building human-to-human relationships where trust, empathy, and shared purpose come first.I hope this conversation reaches the founders who know their business can’t grow unless they grow too, and the founders who want to build more than a company—but a culture that lasts beyond them.As early founders, leadership isn’t about having all the answers—it’s about creating the conditions for others to thrive.Connect with Emily:Feeling ready to hire? Check out Emily’s free customizable courseWebsite

Stacy Thal is the kind of person you want in your corner—clear, grounded, and honest in a way that cuts through the noise. She’s built a career most people only dream about: writing for Francis Ford Coppola, working inside brands like Google and Walmart, and eventually buying a home for herself in San Francisco—one of the most expensive cities in the world to do so.But Stacy’s story isn’t about flashy success. It’s about figuring out what you’re made of. Betting on yourself. And building something real—on your own terms.In this episode, we talk about what founders need to build a brand that lasts: clear positioning, an emotionally resonant story, and the courage to not water it down. Stacy shares how to create a “minimum viable brand” (MVB), why most messaging falls apart under pressure, and how to make sure your creative work connects—with investors, customers, and teams alike.Together, we cover:The brand mistakes that still make her cringeWhy niching down isn’t a risk—it’s a differentiatorHow to listen to your customers without losing yourselfThe danger of rinse-and-repeat marketing (and how to stay sharp)Stacy also shares how she found her way back to entrepreneurship—after layoffs, burnout, and years of chasing stability. Her story is a reminder that reinvention is always possible. That honesty is a superpower. And that “having your shit together” can look like showing up, day after day, with clarity, courage, and compassion.This episode isn’t just for founders working on brand. It’s for anyone trying to carve a path that feels true—even if it takes a few tries to get there.Connect with Stacy:WebsiteLinkedIn

This episode is about the question that could change everything.I sit down with Kate Terentieva, the founder of Off the Record, a conversation card game that’s become a cult favorite among creatives, teams, and founders alike. But this isn’t a story about going viral or scaling fast. It’s a story about building something rooted in real connection—and trusting your gut, even when it goes against every playbook.Kate didn’t plan to launch a product. She was working behind the scenes as a creative director, helping founders tell better stories. But in asking them thoughtful questions, she accidentally unlocked a bigger insight: people are craving more honest, layered conversations—in their work, relationships, and communities.So she turned the 450 questions in her Notes app into a product. And then turned that product into a movement.In this episode, you’re going to learn:Why conversation is a crucial founder skill—and how to get better at itThe benefits of ditching digital virality in favor of in-person feedbackThe loneliness epidemic and what it’s costing usHow to know if you’re the right founder for what you’re buildingHow to show you care about your customers—not just talk about itKate also shares her counterintuitive go-to-market strategy (spoiler: it started with $11.5k worth of free product and 400 DMs). We talk about slowing down, trusting what feels light, and letting the business evolve based on real-world traction—not hype.As founders, you’ll be networking all the time so I highly recommend getting yourself a pack of Off the Record. Kate was kind enough to share a special discount code for Mimir listeners. So be sure to listen all the way through to grab the code—and check the episode description for a direct link.This episode is for the founder who’s questioning the blueprint. Who’s not trying to copy someone else’s path. Who just wants to build something meaningful, even if it takes a little longer.Because sometimes, one really good question can change everything.Get Off The Record: playofftherecord.com/MIMIR10Connect with Kate: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@katarinaterentieva LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kateterentieva/Off The Record: https://www.instagram.com/playofftherecord/

Every founder knows that community is important. But building one—from scratch, without funding, and without an already loyal group of Instagram followers—is easier said than done.Speaking from years of being an influencer wannabe, I can say with confidence that this is one of the hardest problems to solve in business. We’ve all seen how influencers reverse the traditional playbook: they build a community first, and then whatever they sell works because people trust them. We know the community is valuable, so I wanted to get into the weeds with someone who’s actually pulled it off.So, I sit down with Elina Panteleyeva—founder of Dood Woof, an e-commerce brand for doodle dog owners—to unpack exactly how she built a high-converting, hyper-loyal customer base with no outside funding, no big audience, and no prior experience in ecomm.Interstingly, Elina didn’t launch a product and then go find people to buy it. She found people first. She listened to them. And then she built something with them—not for them.In this episode, you’ll learn the tools you need to apply this to your own business. Everything from:The simple outreach tactic that helped Elina turn total strangers into her first superfansHow to use Instagram DMs and Facebook groups to build your initial listWhy documenting the process (not just selling) is key to community trustHow to turn followers into buyersWe get real about what it’s like to bootstrap a business—from the emotional toll of building without a safety net to the tactical how-tos that helped Elina stay a full time entrepreneur. And finally, one of my favorite parts of our conversation centered around why believing in yourself sometimes comes after you start, not before.If you’ve been stuck trying to “build an audience” or wondering why no one’s engaging with your product—this one’s a must-listen.Connect with Elina:InstagramLinkedInDood Woof

You’ve probably heard that ChatGPT can help you write an email or brainstorm ideas—but what if I could show you that it can do so much more?In this solo episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on how I use GPT as a second brain—not just for productivity, but for clarity. When you’re juggling a business, a 9–5, and a life, it’s easy to drowned in your to-do list. Building my GPT in this way has helped free up mental space to focus on what only the things that I can do.In this episode, I walk through:The biggest myths about ChatGPT (and why most people use it wrong)Step by step how I trained “Sage,” my personalized GPT assistant so you can tooWhat I delegate—and what I don’tHow GPT helps me write, strategize, reflect, and stay on trackA dead-simple 30-minute plan to build your own versionWhether you’re a founder, freelancer, or just trying to keep your head above water—this episode is your blueprint for making ChatGPT work for you.Connect with MaddieJoin the Mimir newsletterDM me if you build your own Sage—I’d love to hear how it’s going!!!

If you’ve ever worked late, poured your own money into something you believe in, and still felt like you’re screaming into the void—this one’s for you.In this episode, I sit down with Cindy Ip, the founder of Habitude, a skincare studio in Toronto that’s part beauty bar, part emotional reset button. Cindy’s not here to glamorize the founder journey—she’s here to tell the truth. The parts we don’t always see. The ones that feel messy, discouraging, and sometimes hilarious in hindsight.Together, we talk about what it happens when you start from zero:Spending your own money on ads that go nowhereWondering if anyone will ever care about what you’re buildingStraddling two worlds—being amazing at your 9–5 while building a dream after hoursShowing up online when it feels vulnerable (and not super cute)Cindy also shares why she’s choosing to slow down. Why she restructured her pricing. Why she’s pivoting intentionally. Not because she’s failing—but because she’s listening. To herself, to her audience, and to the world around her.She’s building a business designed to make people pause. And in doing so, she’s redefining what growth can look like: quiet, grounded, human.We laughed a lot during this one. We also said the quiet parts out loud. The things founders feel but don’t always share.And if you’re in the thick of it—wondering why it feels so hard, or when things will finally click—this episode is here to remind you:You’re not behind. You’re just building something unique to your journey.Connect with Cindy:Habitude Beauty:https://habitudebeauty.comInstagram.com/habitudebeautyCindy:cindy-ip.comlinkedin.com/in/cindyipJoin the newsletter

I think we can all agree—startups get glamorized. Social media makes founder life look effortless. Making your own hours? Working from the beach? Making enough money to do both of those things? It sounds amazing.But most of what it takes to actually get to that point is not sexy. It’s hard conversations, long hours, scary choices, and a whole lot of rolling up your sleeves to do the work no one else is willing to do.In this episode, I sit down with Wade Lowe—a seasoned operator, founder, and fractional executive—to talk about the early-stage decisions that make or break a business. One of the biggest questions we tackle is what the heck is a fractional exec, and when should you actually bring one in?From landing your first enterprise customer to hiring your first leadership team, we unpack what founders tend to overlook when chasing growth—and how to avoid the most common (and expensive) missteps.Wade’s got receipts from building and scaling early stage businesses across industries—and he’s refreshingly honest about what you need to build a high-performing team and a culture that prioritizes growth, trust, and people are excited to be a part of.In our conversation we also cover:Why being respected is your most valuable KPIWhat culture is not (ahem, snacks or unlimited PTO)And the mindset shift every founder needs to grow with their companyIf you’re scaling—and want to protect what makes your startup special—this one’s for you.Connect with Wade:LinkedInWebsite

If you’ve ever felt like your brain just works differently as a founder—like the highs are higher, the pressure is heavier, and your decision-making never really turns off—you are not imagining it. This week’s episode dives into exactly why that is.We hear it all the time: founders are built different.But what if that’s not just a saying—what if it’s science?In this episode, I sit down with Marina Morgan, a business psychologist, founder, and researcher who’s spent the last 20 years exploring what makes the entrepreneurial mind so unique—and how to work with it instead of against it.Marina works with founders around the world to help them navigate high-stress decision-making, burnout, and emotional resilience while building category-defining companies. She’s incredibly driven, deeply data-oriented, and—on top of all that—is developing a new framework to measure how psychologically ready employees are for AI integration. (Yes, it’s as cool as it sounds.)For years, I’ve been talking about the psychology of entrepreneurship—why founder brains work the way they do, how to harness that, and how to stay healthy in the process. So meeting someone who could actually back that up with research had me genuinely giddy.In our conversation, Marina shares:What neuroscience tells us about how founder brains actually work—and how they differ from the averageWhy entrepreneurship comes with emotional highs and deep lows—and how to manage both sides of the coinThe real reason burnout creeps up on you (and how it shows up in your decision-making before you even realize it)But this isn’t just theory. Marina also breaks down how to create personalized, science-backed systems to protect your energy, support your mental health, and lead with clarity. Oh—and why surfing or dancing might literally make you a better CEO.If you’ve ever wanted to understand your own brain a little better—or felt like no one really gets what it’s like to build something from scratch—this episode will leave you feeling seen, supported, and equipped with new tools to keep going.Connect with Marina:LinkedInYouTubeWebsiteMarina’s guide for System & Devices for Business Leaders Productivity

What does it really take to build a business that flips an entire industry on its head—and survive the emotional rollercoaster that comes with it?In this episode, I sit down with Jennifer Tsay, co-founder of Shoott, a platform that’s radically changing how photographers—and eventually, all kinds of artists—can build sustainable careers.Jennifer’s path is anything but traditional:From corporate finance to acting, to producing a documentary, to being a co-founder—her journey is a masterclass in how diverse experiences can shape sharper entrepreneurs.We’re diving into not just how Shoott cracked a problem that had stumped others but also the hidden emotional battles founders face.Jennifer is sharing how she learned to process the negativity online instead of letting it derail her. Her tips really surprised me and I think she has a fresh perspective in this space that all founders need to hear.You are also going to learn:The importance of not being “married to theory” when building something newWhy self-awareness is a founder’s most important (but least talked about) skillHow to test ideas fast, course-correct without ego, and stay open to unexpected opportunities along the way.If you’re actively building or trying to find your way—you’re going to get so much out of this conversation.Listen in—you’ll feel seen, energized, and a little bit braver.Connect with Jennifer:Shoott - @shoottphotos on IG and TiktokLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-tsay/IG: @jenjentsay

I first met Oana Jinga at Manifest, where she was speaking on a panel about women in supply chain—and I immediately knew I needed to bring her on the show.Her story isn’t just impressive—it’s a masterclass in reinvention, resilience, and bold thinking. Oana started her career in PR, then moved into partnerships at Google… and today, she’s the co-founder and Chief Commercial Officer of Dexory, a robotics company that’s transforming how warehouses operate.In this episode, Oana and I dig into the real side of building something new—especially when you’re entering a space where no one knows your name. You’ll learn:How to pivot when your go-to-market strategy isn’t workingThe power of getting early champions to back your visionTactics for gaining traction when you’re the underdogWhat it actually takes to break into male-dominated industries—and thriveHow her storytelling background became a superpower in the world of roboticsWhether you’re building in tech, logistics, or a completely different space—this is a conversation about how to stay grounded, get creative, and make your mark.Connect with Oana:LinkedInDexory

The fashion industry has historically faced challenges like: overproduction, waste, and surface-level sustainability, that have thus far been somewhat impossible to fix. These issues are baked into the system—and new brands often unknowingly repeat the same harmful patterns.But with the emergence of AI and a founder who’s creatively rethinking the entire model, solving these issues might just be possible.In this episode, I sit down with Sajna Massey, founder of Couth. Instead of chasing trends or overstocking inventory, Couth puts design decisions in the hands of the community. They only produce what people actually want—keeping waste low, quality high, and the process intentional from start to finish.In our chat, I pick her brain about what it really takes to build an innovative fashion brand as a first-time founder. I’m asking her all the burning questions that I know you guys also have, including:How Sajna validated demand before producing a single garmentThe lessons (and missteps) from navigating international manufacturingWhat it’s like to build a brand while working full-time—and how to stay motivated when the initial excitement fadesWhat’s now core to her growth strategyAnd how changing the way we make clothes might also change the way we consume themThis is a conversation about fashion, yes—but also about thoughtful entrepreneurship, the power of community, and what’s possible when you choose to build with intention.Connect with Sajna:https://shopcouthstudios.com/https://www.instagram.com/couthstudios/

This one’s for the builders who care about more than product-market fit—who want their work to make people feel understood.Nina is the founder and CEO of Generation Sport—a performance apparel brand designed specifically for women athletes. She’s also a former Olympic equestrian, a product designer by trade, and an alum of companies like Headspace. So when she decided to enter the chaotic world of retail and fashion, she brought something entirely new with her: a startup mindset.In this conversation, we dive into what it means to build a physical product like a digital one, how to design with real user insight (not just assumptions), and why the traditional model for launching a clothing brand is totally broken.But more than anything, this episode is about designing better experiences—for customers, for partners, and for yourself as a founder.We cover:The myth of one-size-fits-all apparel – Why “inclusivity” in fashion can actually be exclusiveHow to apply product sprints to retail – And what it looks like to beta test shortsWhat early pitching really looks like – And how Nina refined her vision by saying the wrong thing firstWhy most founders misunderstand customer validation – And how Nina structured her first sprint to learn fastThe logistics no one talks about – From manufacturing partnerships to supply chain surprisesWhat makes a problem worth solving – And how to know if you’re the one to solve itNina is thoughtful, clear-eyed, and refreshingly honest. I walked away from this conversation with so many insights—and a deep appreciation for how much intention she brings to building something that matters. I hope you guys enjoyed this conversation as much as I did.Connect with Nina:www.generationsport.cohttps://www.instagram.com/generation.sportco/https://www.tiktok.com/@generationsportNina’s LinkedIn

How do you build a company that runs like a well oiled machine—without falling into the common startup traps of bad hiring, unnecessary tech, and chasing VC money that derails your vision?Karen Betancourt has seen it all. She’s led billion-dollar logistics operations at Amazon, Walmart, and Cardinal Health. She built supply chain technology from scratch, scaled massive teams, and now serves as CEO of a medical logistics company in Latin America. On top of that, she’s an advisor to startups, helping founders avoid the biggest mistakes when it comes to funding, leadership, and company culture.In this episode, we dive into what separates strong leaders from struggling ones—and how to avoid the pitfalls.I first met Karen when she was speaking on a panel at Manifest. She was so engaging, insightful, and downright funny that I knew I had to have her on the podcast. And let me tell you—this conversation does not disappoint.We cover:The myth of “product-market fit” – Why most startups misunderstand what customers actually need and how to test your idea the right wayThe biggest mistake founders make with VC funding – And how to say no to investors who push you in the wrong directionScaling without losing control – How to manage growing teams, avoid bad hires, and ensure your company still works at 200+ employeesThe power of hard conversations – Why avoiding conflict kills culture, and how to build a team where real feedback drives real progressLessons from running billion-dollar operations – The surprising leadership tactics Karen learned from Amazon, Walmart, and medical supply chainsWhether you’re building a startup, leading a team, or wanting to improve your communication habits, this episode is packed with sharp insights and real talk about how to set yourself up early for leadership success. Karen keeps it fun, brutally honest, and packed with wisdom that every entrepreneur needs to hear.Connect with Karen Betancourt:LinkedInStartup she's working with: WaveInnova

Today we’re going to be talking about the biggest reason many businesses fail… and it isn’t funding, competition, or even the product—it’s their founder not believing they deserve to succeed.And don’t just take it from me—the numbers back this up. 78% of business owners report experiencing imposter syndrome—up from just 24% in 2018. That means nearly 4 out of 5 entrepreneurs are battling self-doubt. And if you’re listening to this, there’s a good chance you’re one of them.And here’s the kicker—it doesn’t go away with success. 71% of U.S. CEOs admit to feeling like frauds, even at the top of their game. But here’s why this matters: Imposter syndrome keeps you small. It makes you underprice your work, second-guess your rates, avoid pitching yourself, and stay stuck in hesitation instead of action. And that’s a business killer.🚨 But this episode is different. 🚨This isn’t just a conversation about imposter syndrome—I wanted to create something to help you actually break through it.We’ll break down what imposter syndrome actually is from a psychological perspective—so you understand why your brain does this.Then, we’ll work through a framework to recognize, challenge, and rewrite the beliefs holding you back.And finally, we’re going to take bold action.To make this super practical, I’ve created a workbook (it’s free) to help you work through this in real time—because this is an episode you work through, not just listen to.

Managing money as an entrepreneur isn’t just about making sales—it’s about ensuring you can actually keep the money you earn. This struggle is REAL for early founders which is why I’m sitting down with Phil McGilvray. He’s on a mission to help business owners get their finances in order, using principles that are simple and effective.From his early days learning to budget with physical cash jars from his grandma to becoming a financial advisor for high-net-worth individuals, Phil has seen firsthand why so many entrepreneurs struggle with financial sustainability. In this episode, he shares a straightforward five-number framework to track your business health, how to get out of the feast-or-famine cycle, and why paying yourself from day one is a non-negotiable for long-term success.What You’ll Learn in This Episode The only five key numbers every entrepreneur should track each month Why most business owners never pay themselves—and how to fix that How to price your products or services to actually make a profit (not just cover costs) The biggest money mistakes entrepreneurs make (and how to avoid them) The power of a cash cascade—and how to build financial stability into your businessMidway through, we dive into one of the hardest parts of entrepreneurship: charging what you’re worth. It sounds simple, but when you’re the one setting the price, self-doubt, imposter syndrome, and fear of rejection creep in. I get real about my own struggles—how I’ve second-guessed my value, worried about turning people away, and had to reframe my mindset around pricing. If you’ve ever felt uncomfortable naming your price or wondered if you’re charging too much (or too little), this part of the conversation is for you.This episode made me sit back and personally reevaluate a lot about how I was running the business. You’re going to hear me get incredibly honest and vulnerable. So, if you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by your business finances or put off tracking your numbers (because, honestly, it’s easier not to look), this conversation will change how you think about your money—and your business. It will help you see the simplicity of it and I hope provide you with the inspiration to keep going.Resources & Links🔗 Phil’s Free Profit Snapshot Training & Spreadsheet🔗 Connect with Phil - Website📩 Join the Mimir Community – Get an inside look into resources and tips other founders are using to build their business smarter, not harder. Sign up here →

I’m taking you behind the scenes of my first-ever conference experience! Manifest is a major supply chain and logistics event focused on innovation, and I attended not just to learn but to grow Mimir, make valuable connections, and test the power of in-person events for early-stage founders.I’m breaking down everything from how I prepped, what worked (and what didn’t), and my biggest takeaways—including the networking strategies that landed me high-profile meetings, what I wish I had known before stepping into the expo hall, and the unexpected meeting that left me with butterflies for the future.If you’re considering attending your first conference—or just want to hear what really happens at these events—this is the episode for you! I made sure it was jam packed with the realities and tips to make the most of your work conference.What You’ll Learn in This Episode: How I strategically pre-planned meetings to maximize my time Top tips for conference attendees The biggest wins and surprises from my time at Manifest Why LinkedIn is a must-use tool for networking (and how I should’ve started earlier) The unexpected realities of after-hours networking (and what to watch out for) The follow-up process that turns conference connections into real opportunitiesJoin the Conversation!Have you attended a conference before? What worked for you? What do you wish you had done differently? Let’s talk about it!💬 Comment below or leave a review.📩 Connect with me: mimir.ink📸 Follow me on Instagram: @himaddiekelley🎙️ Join the Mimir community on my website for more insights and discussions.

When Eric Malka co-founded The Art of Shaving, he wasn’t just launching a brand—he was reshaping an entire industry. With a relentless drive and a deep belief in natural skincare, he built one of the most recognizable luxury grooming brands, ultimately selling it to Procter & Gamble. But after achieving his dream and reaching the pinnacle of success, Eric made a surprising decision: he walked away.Despite building a billion-dollar company, he found himself anxious, unfulfilled, and questioning everything. He realized that success alone didn’t guarantee happiness—and that real fulfillment required something deeper.Before the interview I had the chance to read his new book,On The Razor’s Edge: The Story of The Art of Shaving. ****Eric shares how he transformed from a young entrepreneur with something to prove into a seasoned investor helping the next generation of founders.This is very unlike every other big brand name interview. So many of his responses surprised me and some of my favorite moments include:How a chip on his shoulder fueled his success (and why self-doubt can be a powerful motivator)Why visionary founders struggle with execution—and how to find the right balanceThe truth about entrepreneurial luck—and how to increase your odds of finding itHow to overcome overthinkingWhat most investors get wrong about backing early-stage entrepreneursHow he helps founders today—not as a consultant, but as a partnerEric doesn’t just talk about success; he talks about what comesafter—the anxieties, the realizations, and the hard choices that most entrepreneurs don’t see coming. This is a must-listen for anyone building a business, navigating ambition, or questioning what success really means.Connect with Eric:WebsiteBookSocials:https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-malka-9071529/https://www.instagram.com/malkaeric/https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=Eric Malkahttps://www.tiktok.com/@malkaeric?_t=ZT-8sAGjrp5GU2&_r=1

When the pandemic shut down the travel industry overnight, most travel bloggers scrambled to pivot—but few did it as successfully as Gary Arndt. With over a decade of experience as a travel photographer and blogger, Gary had already built a massive social media following. But when he launched his history-focused podcast, Everything Everywhere Daily, he quickly realized that social media wasn’t the key to podcast growth. Instead, he took a different approach—one that went against the grain of influencer-driven podcasting. Now, with over 1.5 million downloads per month, Everything Everywhere Daily has become a powerhouse in the industry. In this episode, Gary shares: How he went from full-time travel blogger to full-time podcaster Why he abandoned social media as a longterm growth strategy The secret to podcast advertising (and why most indie podcasters get it wrong) Why a daily podcast was the right choice for him (and the math behind it) The two monetization models that actually work for podcasters How to price podcast ads and avoid getting underpaid Why YouTube’s push for video podcasts is a bad idea How understanding the true value of a listener transformed his growth strategy If you’re a podcaster (or thinking about launching one), this episode is a must-listen. Gary’s no-nonsense approach to podcasting cuts through the noise and offers real, actionable insights on what it takes to succeed. I personally learned so much from him during this episode, and I hope you all find it just as valuable. Connect with Gary: Listen to the podcast: https://everything-everywhere.com/everything-everywhere-daily-podcast/

Today, we’re diving into a topic that has completely transformed how I work and how I manage my time as an entrepreneur: creating systems for success. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed trying to juggle it all—emails, content creation, client work, finances, or just keeping track of your never-ending to-do list—you’re not alone. Here’s the thing: success isn’t about working harder; it’s about working smarter. And that starts with building systems that let you save time, reduce stress, and focus on what matters most. By the end of this episode, you’ll walk away with practical strategies and tools to create systems tailored to your business and lifestyle. Here are the key takeaways from the episode: Why systems matter 5 key systems you should have in place How to build systems sustainably and create continuous iteration The goal isn’t perfection—it’s progress. Even small changes can make a big difference over time. I’d love to hear from you: what’s one system you’re excited to implement? DM me on Instagram @himaddiekelley or comment in the reviews—I can’t wait to see what you create! And if you found this episode helpful, don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a fellow solopreneur who could use a little more structure in their life. Links I mentioned: Time management solo episode Notion template Daily/ weekly planner

COVID-19 changed everything for everyone, but no industry was as dramatically impacted as the supply chain. The pandemic brought supply chain issues to the forefront, helping people understand not just what the industry is, but also how stagnant it had become. Now we're in an exciting time where innovation is booming in this space, and investors are jumping at the opportunity to get in on the ground floor. The supply chain has never been sexier and it's a fantastic time to be a founder in this industry—and wherever there's innovation and budding startups, I'll be there. As part of that effort, I'm heading to Manifest conference in February, the innovation hub for all things logistics & supply chain. I have the honor of interviewing Katie Date, their SVP of Industry Relations & Strategic Initiatives. She has an impressive resume, starting at MIT's Center for Transportation & Logistics, where she spent a decade researching. She then went on to found the Women in Supply Chain initiative. I was thrilled to pick her brain on all these changes and innovations in the industry. This episode is perfect for anyone who's considered starting a company in supply chain—it's a great download into what's happening in the industry right now and how to succeed in it. Katie is also sharing practical tips for those in D2C. Since logistics makes up a huge portion of these businesses, we're providing actionable tips to help you reduce costs and improve efficiency. I was especially excited to discuss how and why Katie founded the Women in Supply Chain initiative. Her advice on climbing the ladder and finding success in male-dominated industries is fascinating. She walks you through how she founded this initiative—so if you've been thinking about doing something similar for your industry, you won't want to miss this. Katie is an academic, but she's also a doer. She's incredibly inspirational and wonderful to chat with. I hope you enjoy this episode as much as I did. Here are the key takeaways from the episode: COVID-19 increased awareness of the supply chain & highlighted the inefficiencies Innovation in supply chain is booming right now The supply chain has never been sexier Diverse suppliers showed agility during the pandemic Women in supply chain need supportive networks International experience enhances leadership skills Empathy is key in modern leadership Relationships are crucial in supply chain success Technology is transforming supply chain operations The future of supply chain is focused on innovation Mimir listeners save an additional $200 off the current registration price (that's $600 off the current price!) but only if you register before prices increase this Friday, January 24th! Register now & save: ManifestVegas.com/Mimir

It’s that time of year when your feeds are full of other people talking about their new years resolutions, 2025 rebranding, or goal setting for the year ahead. All of that is great and definitely think you should have some guiding compass for the year ahead. And you absolutely need the podcast episodes about all that good stuff. But, this is not one of those episodes. Anyone can set goals, but sticking to them or setting the right goals is impossible if you’re still blocked by the same shit you were last year. Seriously, how can you set appropriate goals let alone stick to them if you’re plagued by self-doubt or the mental blocks that probably prevented you from achieving your goals last year? So, I wanted to do something different for the new year. In this episode I’m sitting down with KC Cohn who is a personal branding coach. She helps women entrepreneurs bogged down by self-doubt feel confident and clear about who they are. Then, she goes a step further to help them take action towards a life and business that fulfills them. In our conversation, KC is sharing how she built her coaching business and how losing her mom made her realize her mission. To make sure you have the exact tools that you need to overcome your blocks, KC is walking you through the step by step framework she takes her clients through. Most of whom saw results immediately after her sessions. If you’ve been putting off or been put off by the hype around setting goals, then this episode is perfect for you. I guarantee that by following KC’s advice, or even better reaching out to her, will help you achieve more this year. Also, KC is offering you guys a free resource designed to help you take that first step towards a better and brighter you. So be sure to listen all the way through and check the show notes to get access. Here are the key takeaways from the episode: Challenges managing rapid growth and managing a team When do leave a project / business to pursue a new path Experiencing profound loss helped her realize not to wait so long to fulfill your dreams Step by step framework to unblock your blocks Visual branding can significantly boost confidence and business success The journey of entrepreneurship is non-linear and filled with challenges Connect with KC: Get your free “Why You?” tool email: [email protected] https://www.instagram.com/houseofvision_kc/ https://www.facebook.com/kc.cohn https://www.linkedin.com/in/kc-cohn-9139837/

We all know that magnesium is a critical supplement. But interestingly, the majority of people today are magnesium deficient. I had my own assumptions as to why this is the case, but I wanted to chat with an expert to really understand why magnesium is so important for our body and why we can’t seem to get enough of it. So, I reached out to Sandy Sanderson, who after experiencing severe symptoms that were misdiagnosed by traditional medicine, conducted extensive research and healed herself. This lead her to found Elektra Magnesium, which makes topical solutions that allow for magnesium to be optimally absorbed into the skin, while fitting seamlessly into your daily routines. When I first chatted with Sandy it became glaringly obvious that she is a fantastic source for all things magnesium. Her extensive research and years of experience truly makes her a subject matter expert. In this episode she’s getting really deep into the science behind what magnesium’s role is in the body and the root cause of our deficiencies. Magnesium is not only critical for digestion and nutrient absorption but also critical for regulating stress and heart health. It can prevent diabetes, help with restless leg syndrome, acne, and so much more. Just a heads up this episode is probably the most information rich episode I’ve had to date. It’s a lot to absorb in just an hour so grab a coffee and pen and paper because you’ll want to take notes. Sandy is incredibly knowledgable which makes this essentially a debriefing on medical journals and honestly the best woman for this episode. I guarantee that after you’re done listening, you’re going to want to head straight to her website and get her products. I personally suffer from magnesium deficiency that couldn’t be solved through oral supplements, so I was completely sold after talking to Sandy. You’re going to learn a lot from this episode, so buckle up and let’s welcome her to the podcast. Here are the key takeaways from the episode: Transdermal absorption of magnesium is more effective than oral supplements Magnesium plays a crucial role in muscle and bone health. It’s also essential for proper digestion and nutrient absorption Magnesium plays a key role in preventing diseases like diabetes A deficiency in magnesium can lead to various health issues, including metabolic diseases Stress contributes to magnesium loss in the body Industrial farming has significantly depleted magnesium levels in our food supply Connect with Sandy: Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/ElektraMagnesium/ LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandy-sanderson-17903324/ Pinterest:  https://au.pinterest.com/elektramagnesium/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ElektraMagnesium Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/elektramagnesium/ Website:  https://www.elektramagnesium.com.au/

I dont know about you, but I always felt like my resume didn’t tell a consistent story. I had done so many different jobs and I always felt like that made me appear lost. But what I didn’t know at the time was that all this diverse experience was preparing me for entrepreneurship. All entrepreneurs have to wear 17 different hats, and think across 17 different business units. So, what I originally thought was a fault, was actually a strength.When I connected with Dominic Minogue, the founder of Dirty Water, I was so excited to have him on the podcast. Like me, his background is incredibly diverse. He started in fashion and then moved to mobile gaming. But, he always knew that he wanted to do something that aligned with his passions and was more brand focused.Along came Dirty Water. If you love a light beer, but don’t want all the added calories, then Dom’s product is exactly what you’ve been looking for. In this episode, he and I sit down to chat about his entrepreneurial journey. This episode is great for anyone whose ever wanted to start a consumable product. Dom is taking you through all the things you need to know to get started. From finding flavor houses, to getting the product into the market. Of course he’s sharing his learning lessons along the way, from when to start getting feedback from others, how to get your customer base obsessed with your product, to the early grind that all entrepreneurs experience. One of my favorite parts of the conversation centers around how to take a comprehensive look at your experience and distill the common themes to be able to tell your personal story most effectively. If you’re pitching to investors, or trying to convince people to work with you, this is one of the most valuable skills you can have. To be able to translate why you’re a boss across the variety of your past experience, and demonstrate why you’re the right person for the job. This is something I found fascinating and a huge takeaway for me personally. Wether you’re starting a drinkable greens company, or maybe a new protien bar, or simply just here for the vibes, you will learn a lot from this episode. Without further ado, let’s welcome Dom to the podcast.Connect with Dom: IG page: @dirtywaterhardseltzerTiktok: @dommelierLink to website: https://dirtywaterbrand.com/Connect with Maddie

It’s Mimir’s first birthday!! I can’t believe it’s been one year of podcasting. I’m incredibly grateful for this journey. Thank you for listening to this episode and every other episode you’ve listened to. A lot has happened over the last year so I want to share my top 5 learning lessons from podcasting and business. Overall, being a business owner of any kind is one big learning lesson. We realize things about ourselves that we wouldn’t if we didn’t go down this path. We’re constantly being asked to grow past our own limits. Since something greater drives us all, we can’t let our own bullshit get in the own way of that. Here are the key takeaways: Your heart has to be in it The how doesn’t matter - it’s about consistent, honest effort Work/life balance is fucking hard Sometimes things just work, and sometimes they don’t Learn how to say no. Discounted registration for Manifest!! Connect with Maddie

In this episode I’m sitting down with Stacey Speranza, co-founder and host of The Business Casual Podcast. I was so excited to plan this episode with Stacey. I haven’t had the opportunity to connect at this level with another podcast host, especially one a seasoned as Stacey. So this episode was slightly selfishly motivated… but don’t worry I promise that this episode is packed full of great nuggets for you too. Stacey and I are obviously pulling back the curtain on the entire podcast process. Everything from getting guests, to developing your personality as a host, to getting picked up by podcast networks. But overall, the conversation is so fun, and when I say conversation I mean conversation. So many of the interviews that I do are truly interviews, but this conversation feels different. Stacey and I are peers and we’re connecting over that so I had such a blast chatting with her and editing this episode. Also if you’re just joining the podcast for the first time, this is a great episode to start with. You’ll get to learn a little bit about me as the host while getting some tangible takeaways too. Wether you’re looking to start your own podcast one day, curious about the behind the scenes of podcasting, or simply here for the vibes. As you’ll hear Stacey call out in the middle of the episode, the theme is that nothing happens overnight. As business owners, as podcasters, and with networking in general, you’re playing the long game. This is a fascinating topic because both of us are gen z and one thing our generation struggles with is overcoming the need for instant gratification. I think many of us give up early because we don’t see immediate results. But for those who recognize the value in the long game, you will be rewarded. It takes work, and it’s a mindset shift, but Stacey is talking you through all of that. I truly believe one of her superpowers is networking, so Stacey is breaking down how she has the confidence to put herself out there, and tips to help you guys build that same level of confidence. You guys are in for a real treat. We’re laughing, we’re giving hot tips, and at the end of the episode, we’re spilling some tea. I truly hope you guys enjoy this one as much as I do, so let’s welcome Stacey to the podcast!! Here are the key takeaways from the episode: What is the appropriate level of pre-preparedness for podcast interviews Self-awareness is crucial for personal and professional growth How to find podcast guests How to develop your personality as a host Podcasting is a journey of learning and adapting over time How to develop confidence in networking It’s about playing the long game Be a connector!!! The tea on podcast networks: is it worth it?? Connect with Stacey: @stace.speranza @business.casual.podcast Link to show here: https://linktr.ee/thebusinesscasual Connect with Maddie

In this episode, I sit down with Trista Chan, a registered dietitian and founder of The Good Life Dietitian. Trista specializes in helping high-achieving women overcome emotional eating habits, optimize their nutrition, and reach their goals. Episode 50!!! holy crap you guys!! I am so grateful for this crazy journey and that you all tune in every week. It’s my pleasure to be able to facilitate these conversations for you each and every week, and knowing that it’s impacting just one of you is what keeps me going. so thank you from the bottom of my heart. This podcast means so much to me and I’m happy we’re at 50 already!! here’s to 500 more. This episode is slightly different from our usual type of content. It’s very education focused. You guys know I’m always preaching that as business owners we can’t pour from an empty cup and our health is such a key portion of that. So this is a JAM packed episode full of practical strategies for blood sugar relation and intuitive eating. If you struggle with your relationship with food then you’re going to want to take notes. I definitely did. One of my favorite parts of the discussion centered around emotional eating. We already know that the mind-gut connection is real, and I truly beleive that so much of our relationship with food is emotion based. So, Trista is sharing valuable insights and free resources to help you work through emotional eating patterns, so you can make food choices that align with your goals. If you’re interested in health, food, or what it’s like to be a registered dietician than this episode is for you. Trista is incredibly informed and I really enjoy her approach to personalized nutrition. This episode is all about the critical role of diet in thriving in everyday life, and therefore your business. So without further ado, please welcome Trista to the podcast! Connect with Trista:  Free hormone + gut health toolkit - https://www.thegoodlifedietitian.com/freebie-signupInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/thegoodlifedietitian/ Connect with Maddie

In this episode I’m sitting down with Michelle Choi who is the founder of Bov Active, a golf athleisure brand for women. Michelle is truly visionary. In talking to her I was so impressed with where her mind is at at such an early stage. You can tell that she’s got long term strategy and her vision for Bov is truly beautiful. This conversation was a pleasure. She and I start chatting about her journey founding Bov. I was shocked to find out that she only quit her full time job A MONTH AGO. She’s gained so much experience since founding during the pandemic. We get deep on how she was able to refine and almost re-define her target audience early on through her experience doing pop-ups for early brand awareness. Along the way she realized that she’s building way more than just a clothing brand. Her mission is to give women a platform to better themselves. I think she and I really align in this way because she too wants to support other women who are out there hustling for their dream lives. But simultaneously, this was a personal journey for Michelle. She opens up about her experience balancing her full time job and Bov and why she waited until recently to take it full time. I think a lot of my other female listeners will relate to her struggle of trying to be everything for everyone and accepting that she was almost holding herself back with this mentality. Later, we get to a fascinating conversation on the future of D2C e-commerce. I think this life path is many female entrepreneur’s dreams and her take on the future of the industry is one that I haven’t heard spoken about so clearly, and it’s one that I agree on. You guys are in for truly a fascinating conversation with someone who I believe is doing something incredibly interesting with her brand. I’m so excited for Michelle on her journey and I’m thrilled that I got the opportunity to sit down with her and share it with all of you. I’m sure you’re going to geek out as hard as I did. Also, Michelle is giving you guys and exclusive discount code! So go show her and Bov some love!! Connect with Michelle: Website: https://bovactive.com/ (use discount code "MIMIR15" to shop) Bov's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bovactive/ Michelle’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michellechoiii/ Connect with Maddie

I’m sitting down with the fabulous Maddi Soubry, who is a personal stylist. I was so excited to chat with Maddi as a fellow fashion girlie. She’s living everyone’s Devil Wears Prada dream, so I wanted to get the scoop and see if it’s really as glamorous as it seems. This episode is the perfect blend between business and fashion. Maddi is breaking down today’s trends and what to splurge vs save on. She’s teaching you how to create a wardrobe that is timeless, tailored to your lifestyle, and still chic and fashion forward. Inevitably we transition to talking business, and one really fascinating part of the conversation is around how AI is seemingly coming for her job. A lot of businesses are either having to compete with AI or are integrating it in some way. So Maddi and I are diving deep in how to differentiate yourself and “compete” with AI. We round the conversation out with a discussion on how the entrepreneurial journey shows you that you’re more capable of things you never thought you would be. It’s so refreshing to talk to Maddi, because I relate a lot to her. I never considered myself highly practical, or finance based, so I was always nervous about how that would impact me as a founder. I always just assumed that I could hire someone, but in the beginning, money is tight and we have to put on our big girl pants and do the things we don’t want to do. Maddi and I are talking honestly about finances, tips for attracting clients early on, and why you need to lean on your support system to help in areas you know you don’t excel. Connect with Maddi: Website: https://www.maddisoubry.com/ Blog: https://www.maddisoubry.com/stylebymads Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maddisoubry/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@maddisoubry