Startups in Stilettos

Emily has a long and rich history in the branding world. Over the stretch of 14 years, Emily says she's done everything from skinny jeans to french fries, working in the brand development of companies like Abercrombie & Fitch and Wendy’s. But what she really loves more than anything, is working with passionate entrepreneurs to help build authentic brands that deeply connect with clients.   In today’s episode, Carlyn flies solo while sitting down with Emily Paulsen, Founder of Electric Collab, a branding and identity boutique that helps brands build their strategy, visual identity, and websites. Emily shares such important information and talks all about her mission to provide a one-stop shop for service providers, coaches, and creatives ready to amplify their businesses through the power of branding. Emily breaks down her experience working with high-impact brands, when it's the best time for businesses to start investing in their branding, her favorite moments from doing this work, and so much more!   “It's never too late. That's for sure. Whatever you've done to this point in your business, obviously that has worked to an extent. And you should celebrate that. But I don't think it's ever too late to bring in that refinement.” - Emily Paulsen  This week on Startups in Stilettos:  Emily defines branding and the role of her business: Electric Collab (2:00) Emily reflects on her career and the journey leading to starting her business (4;48)  Emily discusses when its time to outsource help for building the brand around your company (10:23)  Emily explains why it's never too late to bring in an agency and the difference between a personal brand vs a business brand (13:34)  Emily shares her proudest moments since starting her business (16:50)  Emily shares her favorite business tools and a tip for getting started with branding (19:44)  Carlyn shares some fun facts and current events every Entreprenista should know (21:54) Connect with Emily Paulsen @heyemilypaulsen on Instagram Emily Paulsen on LinkedIn Electric Collab Connect with Carlyn: ⁠⁠ ⁠@carlynbushmanconsulting⁠⁠⁠ on Instagram ⁠⁠ Carlyn Bushman⁠⁠ on⁠ ⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠ ⁠Carlyn Bushman Consulting⁠⁠ Members of our Entreprenista League get access to live Office Hours with top founders that have been on our show! Join the ⁠Entreprenista League ⁠today! We can’t wait to welcome you, support you, and be part of your business journey!  Get Featured on Startups in Stilettos Want a chance to be featured on Startups in Stilettos? We’re currently accepting applications from our Entreprenista League members to be featured on the show! Think of the Entreprenista League as your team members in what can be a lonely startup founder’s journey. You’ll have access to a private community of like-minded female startup founders who are making an impact in business every day, special discounts on business products and solutions, exclusive content, private events, the opportunity to have your story featured on our ⁠website,⁠ social channels – and, of course, the Startups in Stilettos podcast – and so much MORE! Grow Your Startup with Startups in Stilettos Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Startups in Stilettos, powered by the Entreprenista Podcast Network. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. ⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠iHeart Radio⁠⁠ Be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media to help us reach more startup founders, like you, and have a chance to win a one-on-one mentor and strategy session with Stephanie Cartin. Join us on ⁠Facebook⁠, ⁠Twitter,⁠ ⁠Instagram,⁠ and ⁠LinkedIn.⁠ And for even more exclusive content and information – and to get access to the 8 Secrets to Success in Your Business video course and worksheet – ⁠⁠visit our website⁠.

“Community forms when people see themselves in your story, your mission, or your message.” In this episode of Startups and Stilettos, Ingrid shares the cornerstone of her business success, community. From building real relationships to creating a support system that persists through both wins and setbacks, Ingrid shares how authentic connection is the true magic behind growing a thriving business. You'll learn why community isn’t about follower counts or endless online posting, but about genuine support, belonging, and showing up for others. Ingrid debunks common misconceptions, shares practical tips to start building your own community today, and emphasizes that every business, regardless of industry, can benefit from meaningful relationships. What we talked about: The Value of Real Connection [2:45] Showing Up for Others [7:50] Building a Unique Community [9:20] How to Start [11:30] Connect with Ingrid: ⁠@itsingridsworld on Instagram⁠ ⁠Linkedin⁠ ⁠Grow With Community⁠ Members of our Entreprenista League get access to live Office Hours with top founders that have been on our show! Join the ⁠Entreprenista League ⁠today! We can’t wait to welcome you, support you, and be part of your business journey! Get Featured on Startups in Stilettos Want a chance to be featured on Startups in Stilettos? We’re currently accepting applications from our Entreprenista League members to be featured on the show! Think of the Entreprenista League as your team members in what can be a lonely startup founder’s journey. You’ll have access to a private community of like-minded female startup founders who are making an impact in business every day, special discounts on business products and solutions, exclusive content, private events, the opportunity to have your story featured on our ⁠website,⁠ social channels – and, of course, the Startups in Stilettos podcast – and so much MORE! Grow Your Startup with Startups in Stilettos Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Startups in Stilettos, powered by the Entreprenista Podcast Network. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠|⁠Spotify⁠|⁠iHeart Radio⁠ Be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media to help us reach more startup founders, like you, and have a chance to win a one-on-one mentor and strategy session with Stephanie Cartin. Join us on ⁠Facebook⁠, ⁠Twitter,⁠ ⁠Instagram,⁠ and ⁠LinkedIn.⁠ And for even more exclusive content and information – and to get access to the 8 Secrets to Success in Your Business video course and worksheet – ⁠visit our website.

"I had so many people that were like, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Could you just do it? And it took me a while to kind of come to terms with that. And I decided, OK, I am going to do this, but I'm going to do it my way.” In this episode of Startups in Stilettos, Ingrid Zapata-Read sits down with Christina Lenkowski, founder of Publicity by Christina, to unpack how a single shift in strategy—podcast guesting—completely transformed her business. After more than a decade in traditional PR, Christina realized that being a guest on podcasts was driving more visibility, credibility, and revenue than any other tactic she’d tried. That insight led her to pivot her entire business model and build a thriving agency that has now secured over 1,000 top-rated podcast bookings for clients. Christina shares her journey from freelancing in tourism PR to navigating the “course bubble,” and ultimately finding her lane by trusting her instincts and leaning into what actually worked. She opens up about the realities of entrepreneurship—experimenting, pivoting, setting boundaries, and learning to tune out the noise of outside opinions in favor of your own intuition. What We Talked About: Transforming Business Through Podcasting [3:00] Setting Boundaries and Trusting Your Gut [9:08] Building Relationships and Networking [15:02] Evolving Offers and Client Needs [20:52] Pitching Strategies and Best Practices [26:57] Connect with Christina: @publicityxchristina on InstagramChristina Lenkowski on LinkedIn Publicity x Christina Hey Bitch, Let’s PitchTake the podcast publicity quiz Connect with Ingrid: ⁠⁠ ⁠@itsingridsworld⁠ ⁠⁠on Instagram ⁠⁠ Ingrid Zapata-Read⁠⁠ on⁠ ⁠Linkedin⁠⁠  ⁠⁠⁠⁠Grow With Community⁠⁠⁠⁠ Members of our Entreprenista League get access to live Office Hours with top founders that have been on our show! Join the ⁠Entreprenista League ⁠today! We can’t wait to welcome you, support you, and be part of your business journey!  Get Featured on Startups in Stilettos Want a chance to be featured on Startups in Stilettos? We’re currently accepting applications from our Entreprenista League members to be featured on the show! Think of the Entreprenista League as your team members in what can be a lonely startup founder’s journey. You’ll have access to a private community of like-minded female startup founders who are making an impact in business every day, special discounts on business products and solutions, exclusive content, private events, the opportunity to have your story featured on our ⁠website,⁠ social channels – and, of course, the Startups in Stilettos podcast – and so much MORE! Grow Your Startup with Startups in Stilettos Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Startups in Stilettos, powered by the Entreprenista Podcast Network. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. ⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠iHeart Radio⁠⁠ Be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media to help us reach more startup founders, like you, and have a chance to win a one-on-one mentor and strategy session with Stephanie Cartin. Join us on ⁠Facebook⁠, ⁠Twitter,⁠ ⁠Instagram,⁠ and ⁠LinkedIn.⁠ And for even more exclusive content and information – and to get access to the 8 Secrets to Success in Your Business video course and worksheet – ⁠⁠visit our website⁠.

“Show up dressed as your next level self. So, whoever that ‘her’ is that you're projecting—whether that's five years or 10 years—show up as her. Embodying her, not just dressed as her… Proving to yourself like, ‘Hey, I just did it 10 years before I thought that I could do it.’” When Dr. Noor Ali moved back to the US after completing her medical training and starting her career as a surgeon in Bangladesh, she found herself unable to continue practicing medicine—and she felt like she’d completely lost her identity. Nearly a decade later, Noor has pivoted her career from medicine to health insurance expert, leading her own consulting practice in Tampa, Florida. Drawing upon her medical education and training, Noor dedicates herself to empowering female founders by demystifying health insurance and guiding them through the complexities of the industry.  By connecting her clients with accessible and effective plans that work for their unique lives and businesses, she ensures that they feel secure and confident in their coverage.  Tune in and hear how Noor remains committed to her medical roots despite her busy schedule and why she prioritizes volunteering her time and services any chance she gets. What we talk about:   Dr. Noor’s current business came from her biggest struggle (02:05) How Dr. Noor recovered from the toughest professional set back of her life (06:47) The red tape and bureaucracy of the US health insurance industry (09:37) Cookie cutter insurance plans don’t make anyone happy (12:05) Dr. Noor’s favorite success story (16:40) Long-term business goals (21:30) Connect with Dr. Noor: Website LinkedIn Members of our Entreprenista League get access to live Office Hours with top founders that have been on our show! Join the Entreprenista League today at https://refer.entreprenista.com/membership. We can’t wait to welcome you, support you, and be part of your business journey!    Get Featured on Startups in Stilettos Want a chance to be featured on Startups in Stilettos? We’re currently accepting applications from our Entreprenista League members to be featured on the show! Think of the Entreprenista League as your team members in what can be a lonely startup founder’s journey. You’ll have access to a private community of like-minded female startup founders who are making an impact in business every day, special discounts on business products and solutions, exclusive content, private events, the opportunity to have your story featured on our website, social channels – and, of course, the Startups in Stilettos podcast – and so much MORE! Grow Your Startup with Startups in Stilettos Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Startups in Stilettos, powered by the Entreprenista PodcastNetwork. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. Apple Podcasts|TuneIn|GooglePlay|Stitcher|Spotify|iHeart Radio Be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media to help us reach more startup founders, like you, and have a chance to win a one-on-one mentor and strategy session with Stephanie Cartin. Join us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. And for even more exclusive content and information – and to get access to the 8 Secrets to Success in Your Business video course and worksheet – visit our website.