Abby Walker is the Founder and CEO of Vivian Lou, the exclusive worldwide distributor for Insolia, weight-shifting insoles that allow you to wear high heels four times longer without pain. Abby designed her business processes to distribute work, so that she’s not overly dependent on a single individual or agency. She works closely with contractors on design, fulfillment, advertising, marketing and other services and has no full-time employees. This allowed her to approach $4M in 2019 revenue.

Celebrity designer Sarah Shaw, shares how she created six businesses and now helps others position themselves for success. This podcast was recorded on May 8, 2020 while quarantined during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sarah shares how to position your product for online sales using drop-shipping and other tactics.

This discussion with Peter Mellen, Founder of Netcito, was recorded on March 19, 2020, when many areas of the U.S. were in the early stages of quarantine and the term “social distancing” was just beginning to creep into our daily conversations. Peter is a lifelong entrepreneur who lives in the Washington, D.C. area. Listen in on our discussion about how our work habits and lives were evolving, how COVID-19 might impact the investment community, and to learn about Peter's entrepreneurial journey. +++++++ Listen to the podcast or watch videos with Peter Mellen, Founder of Netcito, on YouTube:  Peter Mellen, Founder, Netcito  Rapid Growth Derailed by the 2001 Dot Com Bust  Meditation and Yoga: Foundational Practices  How Much Entrepreneurial Risk is Too Much? Subscribe to the Founders and Startups YouTube Channel to see future videos as they're released!  ++++++++++ Here are a few of Peter's roles: • Founder of Netcito, an invitation-only peer group for founders of companies • Active involvement with commercial real estate investing and development • Co-chair of Tides, a philanthropic partner and nonprofit accelerator dedicated to building a world of shared prosperity and social justice • Entrepreneur-in-residence, founder of the alumni entrepreneur and angel investor networks at Georgetown University Key takeaways: + Netcito connects and inspires innovators and entrepreneurs. The name is a combination of “network” and the Latin word incito, “to inspire.” + Some Netcito members, with dozens of employees and millions of dollars in revenue, are faced with revenue plummeting to zero. + This may be a great time for someone who’s thinking about starting a business to begin creating. + Beware of “entreporn” that glamorizes the startup lifestyle, that may make you feel inadequate. Check out Jonathan Fields’ blog post about this. + Book recommendation: Reid Hoffman, The Startup of You. Reid says that if you’ve got a career, you’re an entrepreneur. It’s a mindset rather than what you do in the world. Have a Plan A, Plan B and Plan Z in case everything goes to zero. + Future funding will shift. Some industries such as biotech will have greater opportunities while retail, real estate and live events will have a very difficult time. The stock market drop will impact investors’ liquidity resulting in less capital. Deals in the venture capital and angel investor pipelines may be dropped or repriced. + From age 11 to 18 Peter spent a great deal of time in an ashram, a community where people of the Hindu faith develop spiritually. It was a melding of Eastern and Western culture in the Philadelphia area. The community evolved to become the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health. + Peter had unconventional parents. They were college professors who went on to make documentary films. They became interested in yoga in the 1970’s and moved into a home close to the ashram. + Peter’s first business was Team Vision Consulting that he created in the early 90s. It provided help desk support for small to medium sized businesses. + Peter partnered with a Georgetown University Business School classmate to write a business plan that landed $25,000 in funding before graduation. That company, Headlight, eventually raised over $15 million in venture funding capital. + While managing Headlight, Peter was living the entrepreneurial life he aspired to, but felt that something was missing. After the dot com bust, when Peter was 35, he turned to yoga and realized the significance of the values he had grown up with. + Peter’s current mindfulness practice includes daily meditation and yoga. As Albert Einstein was known for saying, ideas come from a place beyond the mind. Meditation and yoga position Peter to tend to the space beyond and within the mind. + I was encouraged to create a podcast by Peter in Aug. 2015 when we met at Jonathan Fields’ Camp Good Life Project. (Sadly, the camp is no longer happening.) My first Ever Better Podcast was published in Dec. 2015 and I went on to create 90 episodes before creating the Founders and Startups Podcast. +++++ Learn more about Netcito on their website. Connect with Peter Mellen on LinkedIn. Follow Netcito on Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn +++++ This podcast originated as a video that you can find on the Founders and Startups YouTube Channel along with three highlight videos. Rapid Growth Derailed by the 2001 Dot Com Bust  Meditation and Yoga: Foundational Practices  How Much Entrepreneurial Risk is Too Much? +++++ How would it feel to elevate your business while creating a more fulfilling life? If you’d like to discuss possibilities, send me a note at Lisa (at) EverBetterU.com. Learn more about working with me, Lisa Conners Vogt, at https://www.everbetteru.com/challengingtimes. Here's what a recent client said: "Lisa offers a holistic approach to coaching business owners. Her unique approach allowed me to articulate goals involving my employees, investors, family, community, customers and myself. She draws out the entire spectrum of the entrepreneur's objectives and brings them into a manageable and livable perspective." +++++ Special Thanks To: + Josh at Podcastguymedia.com for his patient editing and guidance.  + Darko at darkokriznik.com for his stellar video editing and graphic design.

Laura Early co-founded WISE Advise + Assist, a virtual assisting agency powered by military spouses with her business partner, Diana Jaquith. WISE provides time-saving services to business owners and enables military spouses to work remotely so that they can have the life, family and career that they’ve always dreamed of. This addresses the challenges often faced by military spouses who struggle to maintain a career due to frequent moves – sometimes every two years.

Barbie the Welder is a self-taught artist who designs and creates metal sculptures for individuals, companies like Harley Davidson,  and communities, such as her hometown of Elmira, NY. Barbie left her job in Sept. 2014 to pursue metal sculpture full-time. After four years of steadily working on her craft and building her following, she’s now positioned to create sculpture from her heart and work with clients who inspire her.

“Be really aware that you don’t know what you don’t know.” – Mike Koch, President and Co-Founder, FireFly Farms “You have to realize you can’t do everything.” – Pablo Solanet, Creative Director and Co-Founder, FireFly Farms Mike Koch and Pablo Solanet are co-founders of FireFly Farms, known for their award-winning goat cheeses. They operate a friendly retail store and cheese production facility in Accident, MD near Deep Creek Lake. Before making Garrett County their full-time home, they were living and working in Washington, D.C. Mike was a senior leader for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac while Pablo was a pastry chef at New Heights restaurant. Mike and Pablo originally purchased their Garrett County farm and home as a vacation and weekend getaway. When their neighbor had nanny goats available after completing a 4-H project, they jumped into goat farming. One weekend they experimented with making cheese, and a new business was born! Listen to the podcast, watch the full-length video or highlight videos for key takeaways:   Mike and Pablo bought their farm in 1997 as a country home and Washington, D.C. getaway. Both co-founders were early foodies. They started making goat cheese because a neighbor had nanny goats for a 4-H project that were giving milk. Pablo grew up in Argentina and spent summers working at his grandparents’ ranch. He moved to the U.S. at age 19. Pablo was the pioneer! He left his restaurant position and moved to Garrett County full-time to take care of the goats. There were moments of culture shock and tough winters. Mike’s grandfather had an 88-acre farm in Iowa with cows, pigs, goats, corn and other crops where Mike spent his summers. He grew up making cheese with his grandmother. His great-great-grandfather was a cheese maker in Switzerland. Mike continued to work in D.C. for ten years after FireFly was started. He then held economic development posts in Garrett County and D.C. FireFly won Blue and Silver awards in 2002 at their first American Cheese Society competition. These cheeses were created by Pablo using milk from goats that he raised on their farm. Mike and Pablo no longer raise goats. They purchase milk from nine local, family farms. They self-financed their first twenty years in business, drawing on savings and Mike’s stock options. They recently completed a Series A fundraising round to finance expansion. The first FireFly staff were brought on-board to produce cheese and to help with sales and marketing. FireFly cheeses were sold only through grocery stores their first ten years in business. They opened the Accident, MD store in 2011 because they needed additional manufacturing space. Whole Foods allowed FireFly to start small by distributing to just a few stores in 2002 and 2003. Pablo used to deliver the cheese to Whole Foods himself. FireFly cheese are now available at Whole Foods, Wegmans, Balducci's and MOM’s Organic Market. FireFly Farms will be expanding in 2020 through a second manufacturing location in Maryland and a second retail location in Baltimore, MD. They recently hired six staff to support the expansion. The market for artisan cheese is growing and processed cheese is decreasing in the U.S. In Maryland the cheese making community is tight-knit and support each other's growth. When starting a business, find your community and help others. All boats rise together. Mike and Pablo are very involved with the American Cheese Society. There’s never a boring day at FireFly Farms! Lake Pointe Inn is a wonderful hotel and inn at Deep Creek Lake, near FireFly Farms in Accident, MD. +++++ Learn more about FireFly Farms on their website. Follow FireFly Farms: LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook +++++ This podcast originated as a video that you can find on the Founders and Startups YouTube Channel along with two highlight videos: Becoming a Full-Time Business Owner Raising Money to Expand FireFly Farms +++++ How would it feel to elevate your business while creating a more fulfilling life? If you’d like to discuss possibilities, send me a note at Lisa (at) EverBetterU.com.  Learn more about working with me, Lisa Conners Vogt, at EverBetterU.com. Here's what a recent client said: "Lisa offers a holistic approach to coaching business owners. Her unique approach allowed me to articulate goals involving my employees, investors, family, community, customers and myself. She draws out the entire spectrum of the entrepreneur's objectives and brings them into a manageable and livable perspective." +++++ Special Thanks To:  Josh at Podcastguymedia.com for his patient editing and guidance. Darko at darkokriznik.com for his stellar video editing and graphic design. 

Yuni Sameshima co-founded Chicory with Joey Petracca while they were both students at Colgate University. Yuni and Joey met their freshman year and now, 10 years later, they are running a company of 36 employees. In 2019 Chicory facilitated $25 Million in grocery orders and generated $6 Million in revenue. Yuni and Joey were recently named to the Forbes 30 under 30 list. During our discussion, Yuni shared key moments from his life as well as some of her guiding principles. Listen to the podcast, watch the full-length video or highlight videos on YouTube for key takeaways:   Chicory connects digital recipes with online grocery stores. They make recipes across the internet shoppable. Family dinners were important to Yuni and Joey growing up. Yuni grew up with his mother cooking Japanese food. He now loves to experiment with making her recipes. Yuni and Joey’s first business idea to connect event producers and event participants didn’t work out. But the research was helpful as they launched their next business. Their second business idea was to deliver ingredients to consumers so that they could make meals. This was before Blue Apron and other meal-delivery kits became well-known. The logistics proved to be too challenging in their student environment. That second business idea evolved into Recipe Into Reality, now known as Chicory. Chicory was launched as part of Colgate University’s Thought Into Action (TIA) entrepreneurship program and Yuni continues to be involved with TIA as a mentor. Leading up to college graduation, Yuni and Joey were finalists in a New York State business plan competition. After graduating, Yuni chose to grow his own business rather than accept a job with a venture capital fund in Tokyo. Just before graduating Yuni attended the TIA Entrepreneur’s Weekend at Colgate, attended by alumni and other entrepreneurs. During a luncheon, he took the opportunity to grab a microphone and ask participants for funding. This led to $30k in funding. After graduation, Yuni and Joey continued to develop their business at Colgate’s incubator space in Hamilton, NY with a grant from the Entrepreneurs of NY Fund. It’s helpful to split duties with a co-founder. Joey and Yuni documented their roles and division of labor. Chicory’s first hire was a technology specialist. Company growth accelerated when Amazon acquired Whole Foods and Chicory launched their advertising products. Entrepreneurs should consider many types of capital when they need funding. Yuni first hired an Executive Coach during a period of high stress when the business was struggling. Yuni credits his coach, Nick Herinckx, with helping them to shift their mindset to growth and opportunity rather than fear and anxiety. Being named to Forbes 30 under 30 has been a great honor and has led to greater exposure and speaking engagements for Yuni and Joey. Yuni and Joey have purposefully created the Chicory culture and that has been a key factor in their success. +++++ Learn more about Chicory on their website. Check out Yuni and Joey on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list. Follow Chicory: LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter +++++ This podcast originated as a video that you can find on the Founders and Startups YouTube Channel along with two highlight videos: Chicory’s Origin: Colgate University’s Thought Into Action Program Regaining Momentum With Help From an Executive Coach +++++ How would it feel to elevate your business while creating a more fulfilling life? If you’d like to discuss possibilities, send me a note at Lisa (at) EverBetterU.com.  Learn more about working with me, Lisa Conners Vogt, at EverBetterU.com. Here's what a recent client said: "Lisa offers a holistic approach to coaching business owners. Her unique approach allowed me to articulate goals involving my employees, investors, family, community, customers and myself. She draws out the entire spectrum of the entrepreneur's objectives and brings them into a manageable and livable perspective." +++++ Special Thanks To:  Josh at Podcastguymedia.com for his patient editing and guidance. Darko at darkokriznik.com for his stellar video editing and graphic design

“The number one thing you can do when you start something is to make sure you’re building it in a way that it works without you.” – Anne Mahlum +++++ Anne Mahlum is an entrepreneur who creates and builds with purpose. She is Founder, Owner and CEO of [solidcore], a rapidly-growing fitness company. Starting with one D.C. location in 2013, there are now 66 [solidcore] studios with many more coming soon!

Marcus Bullock is Founder and CEO of Flikshop. Marcus radiates optimism and a sense of purpose that is reflected in the Flikshop mission, to keep families and communities connected and to ultimately reduce recidivism.    After being convicted of carjacking when he was 15 years old, Marcus spent the next 8 years of his life in a maximum security prison. During that time, Marcus says that getting a flik, or a picture, was like winning the lottery. While incarcerated, Marcus educated himself and planned for a productive future, thanks to the persistence of his mother, his extended family, and friends.   After his release, Marcus created a construction company that employed returning citizens. He then launched Flikshop, an app that allows individuals to send a note and a picture to anyone at any prison in the United States. Marcus and his colleagues then created The Flikshop School of Business to help give men and women who are incarcerated a blueprint for success.   Marcus was named to The Root’s Top 100 most influential African Americans for 2019. He is an inaugural cohort member of Techstars Anywhere 2018 and John Legend’s Unlocked Futures business accelerators. He is a member of the Justice Policy Institute's board of directors and serves as an advisor to the Aspen Institute’s Opportunity Youth Incentive Fund.   Check out Flikshop and download the app.   Help keep a child and an incarcerated parent connected by becoming a Flikshop Angel.   For investment inquiries, connect with Marcus on LinkedIn.   More from Marcus:   2019 TED Talk   White House Talk 2019   Ever Better Podcast, July 2016    =====   This podcast originated as a video that you can find on the Founders and Startups YouTube Channel along with two highlight videos: “Creating Flikshop’s Minimum Viable Product” and “Focus on What Gives You Energy.”   ====== Special Thanks To:  Josh at Podcastguymedia.com for his patient editing and guidance. Darko at darkokriznik.com for his stellar video editing and graphic design.    ====== Learn about working with me, Lisa Conners Vogt, at EverBetterU.com.  Here's what a recent client said after a coaching session: "Lisa offers a holistic approach to coaching business owners. Her unique approach allowed me to articulate goals involving my family, employees, community, customers and myself. She draws out the entire spectrum of the entrepreneur's objectives and brings them into a manageable and livable perspective."

In 2017, Jaime-Alexis Fowler set out to answer the question: "How can we better support people at work?" Jaime-Alexis had often been sought out as a confidante and mentor by individuals who were navigating challenging work situations, and she was drawn to the challenge of creating a robust resource accessible to all who needed it.   Through extensive research and a pilot project, Jaime-Alexis identified a huge gap at critical work moments. Over 40M Americans lack access to support, exacerbating inequality. Without a trusted place to turn to, those with less social capital are more likely to take pay cuts, leave industries all together, or leave jobs without the next role lined up. She and her team recognized that by providing confidential emotional and tactical support during an employee's most challenging moments via text message or live chat, individuals could be made aware of their options and empowered to make the decision about what to do next.   That's where Empower Work comes in.   Founded as a nonprofit organization so that it would be available to anyone who needs it, Empower Work now has a national reach. Trained peer counselors volunteer their time to support people through critical challenges at work. They come from diverse professional backgrounds and are motivated to give back. All go through a selection process and receive robust training to prepare them for the role. Some of the challenges that Empower Work counselors assist with are: Toxic, hostile, negative, or dysfunctional workplaces Bullying, intimidating, disrespectful, or demeaning behavior Unethical behavior Work stress and anxiety Microaggressions Harassment Discrimination Performance feedback Pay, hours, or benefits issues   To contact an Empower Work counselor: Send a text to 510-674-1414 or use live chat here: https://www.empowerwork.org/how-it-works   Want to get involved? Learn more about partnering, donating, and volunteering. Or reach out to: [email protected].   This podcast originated as a video that you can find on the Founders and Startups YouTube Channel along with two highlight videos: Piloting a Service on a Shoestring Budget and Measuring Success. ====== Special Thanks To:  Jaime-Alexis and I send a special thanks to Kevin Gottesman, of Gott Advertising, who introduced us to each other. We've both benefited from his digital marketing and communications strategy expertise, and he's been an Empower Work supporter from its earliest days. Thanks, Kevin! More Special Thanks To:  Josh at Podcastguymedia.com for his patient editing and guidance. Darko at darkokriznik.com for his stellar video editing and graphic design.      ====== Learn about working with me, Lisa Conners Vogt, at EverBetterU.com.  Here's what a recent client said after a coaching session: "Lisa offers a holistic approach to coaching business owners. Her unique approach allowed me to articulate goals involving my family, employees, community, customers and myself. She draws out the entire spectrum of the entrepreneur's objectives and brings them into a manageable and livable perspective."