Resilience, Leadership, and Redefining Success with Farnaz Azmoodeh, CTO of Linktree.In this episode of She Leads, Carly sits down with Farnaz Azmoodeh, the Chief Technology Officer of Linktree. Farnaz shares her remarkable journey, from growing up in Iran to becoming a leader in the tech industry. Her story highlights resilience, adaptability, and the transformative power of diverse leadership.Join us as Farnaz reflects on her childhood, her passion for engineering, and her transition from technical roles to executive leadership. She also shares valuable insights into building a supportive work culture, fostering effective collaboration, and navigating challenges with a positive, gamified mindset.Whether you’re an aspiring leader, a tech enthusiast, or simply looking for inspiration, this episode is packed with wisdom, vulnerability, and practical advice.Episode Highlights:00:52 – Introduction02:03 – Farnaz's Early Life and Childhood in Iran05:44 – Academic Journey and Introduction to Coding08:53 – University Experience and Gender Dynamics in Engineering12:18 – Transition to the United States and Cultural Adaptation15:29 – Entering the Tech Industry and Joining Google17:24 – Career Growth and Leadership at Google and Snap23:09 – Reflecting on Tough Times and Resilience25:50 – The Concept of Wartime Leadership26:35 – "Bull in a China Shop": A Unique Leadership Style28:12 – Building Relationships with Kindness29:18 – Transitioning from Engineer to CTO31:09 – Joining Linktree: A New Adventure37:18 – Navigating Challenges with a Gamified Mindset39:03 – Addressing Gender Disparities in Tech42:09 – Redefining Success and Embracing Struggle45:50 – The Art of Loving and CaringKey Takeaways:How resilience shaped Farnaz’s journey from Iran to the U.S.The importance of adaptability in career transitions.Building strong work cultures and effective executive relationships.Addressing gender disparities and fostering diverse leadership styles.The evolving definition of success and finding joy in challenges.Tune in to hear Farnaz’s inspiring story and her advice for aspiring leaders navigating their own unique journeys.🎙️ Listen now on Spotify | Apple Podcasts | She Leads website-----Past guests include Margaret Wishingrad, Kara Goldin, Brandi Chastain, Julie Foudy, Ann Miura Ko, Linda Avey, Sarah Leary, and many more.Follow us on Instagram | LinkedIn | Youtube-----

Ossa is the President of Aurora – a public company that provides self-driving technology for safe, accessible, and efficient transportation - with a market cap of ~ $9 billion dollars.Prior to Aurora, Ossa spent over twenty years at innovative technology companies in high-growth industries, serving in both strategic and operational functions. Most recently, she served as president & COO of Istation, a leading education technology provider serving millions of students across the United States. Prior to Istation, Ossa served as senior vice president of strategy and analytics at the dominant dating company Match Group, known for such brands as match.com and Tinder. In addition, she spent almost a decade at global consulting firm Bain & Co, ultimately serving as a partner in the technology, media, and telecom practice. She began her career as an investment banking analyst at Goldman Sachs. Ossa also serves on the board of directors for Instructure, a public edtech company serving over 30 million users, and Hometown Ticketing, a digital ticketing company.Ossa is a member of the Yale Alumni Association Board of Governors and has a bachelor’s in economics from Yale University, an MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business, and a master’s in education from Stanford Graduate School of Education.  She holds both Swedish and American citizenship and is fluent in both Swedish and English. She is also married with two teenage daughters.-----Past guests include Margaret Wishingrad, Kara Goldin, Brandi Chastain, Julie Foudy, Ann Miura Ko, Linda Avey, Sarah Leary, Becky Sauerbrunn and many more.Follow us on Instagram | LinkedIn | YoutubeCheck out the She Leads website-----In Today's Episode with Ossa Fisher We Discuss:1. Ossa's Upbringing and Passion for School2. Early Professional Years at Goldman Sachs 3. Choosing To Go To Stanford Business Schools + Masters In Education4. Joining Consulting at Bain for 10+ years 5. Decision-Making Formula: Will I Regret It in the Future?6. Self-Advocacy at Bain7. The Biological Clock Women Face8. Lessons in Transitions from IC to Manager9. Choosing to join Match Group 10. Goal-Setting 11. Transitions into C-Suite Executive + Navigating Restlessness12. Joining Aurora and Leading A $10Bn Company 13. Honing the Craft of InfluencePlease share She Leads with a friend and Leave a Review!

Maureen is the Co-Founder and CEO of Baobab Studios, a 10-time Emmy winning interactive animation company that blends cutting edge technology (AI, metaverse, mixed reality) with storytelling. Baobab Studios was named Fast Company’s 2018 Most innovative company and the industry leader in merging gaming and Hollywood after winning 4 interactive Emmys. With Baobab, Maureen has created projects that have attracted incredible talent - including Oprah. John Legend, Kate Winslet and Ali Wong. Before founding Baobab, Maureen earned her bachelor’s degree from Stanford University in a self-designed major that combined arts, computer science, and psychology. After Stanford, she held senior product and UI roles at ebay and also helped birth the social casual games revolution as Zynga’s VP of Games, overseeing the original Farmville franchise.She also interned at Pixar while completing her master’s degree at Harvard Business School.Maureen’s work has earned her recognition as one of Ad Age’s Most Creative People of the Year, Gold House’s Top 100 Influential Asians, and Variety’s Executive to Watch and Top Digital Creative lists.-----Past guests include Margaret Wishingrad, Kara Goldin, Brandi Chastain, Julie Foudy, Ann Miura Ko, Linda Avey, Sarah Leary, Becky Sauerbrunn and many more.Follow us on Instagram | LinkedIn | YoutubeCheck out the She Leads website-----In Today's Episode with Maureen Fan We Discuss:1. Maureen's Upbringing and Values Instilled 2. Early Adversity in Assimilation with Asian Identity3. Conflict between Passion and Job Security 4. Attending Stanford University: Creating Her Own Major 5. The Power of Champions and Mentorship6. How To Ask for a Mentor7. The Value of Business School: Is It Worth It?8. Doing the Dirty Work in Hollywood9. Transition into Tech at Ebay and Zynga 10. Founding Baobab Studies 11. Building Self-Esteem + Confidence as a Founder Please share She Leads with a friend and Leave a Review!

Lara leads all things marketing, partnerships, business development and communications at Linktree, a platform that allows creators to build personalized landing pages with multiple links to all of their content.Before joining Linktree, Lara spent a decade at Twitter (now known as X), where she served as Global VP of Partners & Marketing. In her early days at Twitter, she was the Head of Entertainment and Lifestyle Partnerships, where she shaped and redefined Twitter’s narrative for talent and entertainment partners.One of her standout achievements in this role was spearheading the iconic activation of Ellen DeGeneres’ selfie at the 2014 Oscars.She earned her bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Rochester and began her career as Editorial Director at US Weekly, back when it was owned by Wenner Media.-----Past guests include Margaret Wishingrad, Kara Goldin, Brandi Chastain, Julie Foudy, Ann Miura Ko, Linda Avey, Sarah Leary, Becky Sauerbrunn and many more.Follow us on Instagram | LinkedIn | YoutubeCheck out the She Leads website-----In Today's Episode with Lara Cohen We Discuss:1. Lara's Upbringing 2. Career + College Aspirations in Political Journalism3. Early Career at US Weekly - Entertainment Journalism4. Entertainment Media Pre-Social Media 5. Journalism Culture: Deadlines, Constant Grinding, Hustle. 6. Transition from Conventional Journalism into Tech at Twitter7. The Genesis of the Iconic Ellen Degeneres Selfie at the Oscars8. The Value of Being the Non-Technical One in the Room9. The Power of Storytelling in Marketing 10. The Rise and Implications of the Creator Economy11. Twitter Under Elon's Takeover11. Linktree's Campaign for Voter Registration is LIVE! To find out more information, check out the Linktree blog and this USA Today articlePlease share She Leads with a friend and Leave a Review!

Renee is the Founder & CEO of Amazi Foods, a mindful tropical-fruit food company that works directly with small businesses and farmers groups in Uganda to make these delicious snacks that are bringing some much-needed excitement into the dried fruit category. Amazi originated largely from Renee’s college trip to Uganda where she completed her thesis research. She noticed that there were many delicious local organic fruits - something that wasn’t prevalent in the states. However, the local markets had very limited access outside Uganda. The supply chains were broken. Now, Renee is dedicated to building a better supply chain and supporting economic development in Uganda. Fast forward a few more years, Amazi has sourced from over 300 farmers in Uganda with more than half being women, and is in top retailers like Amazon, Wegmans and soon to be Whole Foods Market. Renee earned her Bachelors degree in Economics and the College of Social Studies from Wesleyan University. A fun fact: on the side, Renee has also been a fitness guru for most of her life  – working as a lead strength trainer and yoga teacher. -----Past guests include Margaret Wishingrad, Kara Goldin, Brandi Chastain, Julie Foudy, Ann Miura Ko, Linda Avey, Sarah Leary, Becky Sauerbrunn and many more.Follow us on Instagram | LinkedIn | YoutubeCheck out the She Leads website-----In Today's Episode with Renee Dunn We Discuss:1. Renee's Upbringing + Family Values 2. Study Abroad Experience at Uganda 3. Forming a Thesis Around Local Entrepreneurship4. Challenges and Gaps in the Local Ugandan Food Markets5. Navigating the Quarter-Life Crisis at 25yo6. Transition from Yoga to Founder7. Knowing Nothing About the Food Industry to Being a CPG Founder8. Amazi Foods Founding Story9. The Challenges and Lessons of Founding as a Solo Founder10. Life and Entrepreneurship is an Infinity SignPlease share She Leads with a friend and Leave a Review!

*TW: Discussion Around Eating Disorders* Ali is the Co-Founder and CEO of Oat Haus, the first-ever spreadable granola. Think the texture of nut butter, but the warm, familiar taste of granola.She founded Oat Haus back in 2018 as it was part of her recovery journey from disordered eating.  She searched high and low for a nut-free spread that resonated with her, but couldn't find one. She came up with the idea to create one out of oats, and Granola Butter was born! Now, Oat Haus is sold at over 5000 retailers across the country, including Whole Foods Market, Publix, Amazon, and Target.  All of this earned her a much deserved 2024 EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award. Prior to Oat Haus, she thought she would be a doctor. She studied pre-med at the University of California Berkeley, earning a bachelors degree in nutritional sciences. While she ultimately decided not to become a doctor, she did continue in digital health for a few years, working in marketing at Doximity - the largest medical network. -----Past guests include Margaret Wishingrad, Kara Goldin, Brandi Chastain, Julie Foudy, Ann Miura Ko, Linda Avey, Sarah Leary, Becky Sauerbrunn and many more.Follow us on Instagram | LinkedIn | YoutubeCheck out the She Leads website-----In Today's Episode with Ali Bonar We Discuss:1. Early Childhood Passions + A Love for Food 2. Forgoing A Medical Career at Berkeley3. Choosing a Career Path + Trusting Your Inner Voice 4. Struggling with Eating Disorders + Journey to Recovery5. Founding Story of Oat Haus 6. Choosing a Co-Founder7. The Power of Delusion and Grit in Entrepreneurship8. Early Mistakes: Pressed Juice Story 9. Branding + Naming Lessons10. Power of Content Creation + Building Community 11. Empathy and Intuition are Superpowers Please share She Leads with a friend and Leave a Review!

Camilla is the Chief Operating Officer of Brex, a financial technology company that provides a range of financial services tailored to startups and other businesses. Camilla started at Brex as the Head and VP of Finance before transitioning into the operations side as the SVP of Global Operations before becoming the COO. Prior to Brex, Camilla worked at the Kraft Heinz Company,  one of the largest food and beverage companies in the world - starting as a Finance Analyst to becoming the Director of Finance in just under 3 years and she also worked in private equity and portfolio management in Brazil. Camilla earned her Bachelors degree in Aeronautics and Mechanical Engineering from Instituto Tecnológico de Aeronáutica - ITA, one of the most respected and top universities based in Brazil specializing in aerospace science and engineering. She was one of only 6 women in her graduating class of 120 people. -----Past guests include Margaret Wishingrad, Kara Goldin, Brandi Chastain, Julie Foudy, Ann Miura Ko, Linda Avey, Sarah Leary, Becky Sauerbrunn and many more.Follow us on Instagram | LinkedIn | Youtube-----In Today's Episode with Camilla Matias We Discuss:1. Growing Up in Brazil + Studying Mechanical Engineering in a Male-Dominated, Military University2. Embracing Challenges Throughout Life 3. Optimizing for Financial Independence in Early Career4. Navigating Early Career: Focus on Learning + People + Cold-Emailing 5.  Transitioning from Finance to Management at Kraft Heinz6. Self-Advocacy in Career Growth - Rising Up the Ladder in 3 years7. Standing Out To Your Advantage8. The Value of Plan A, Plan B, Plan C in Operations 9. Operations at Brex10. Find Your Superpower and Invest In ItPlease share She Leads with a friend and Leave a Review!

Lauren is is the Founder and CEO of Love and Chew Brands, a company that manufactures and distributes tasty protein cookies that are clean-label and guilt-free - with a mission to be the leader in the plant-based dessert category and to inspire ppl to enjoy healthier and more sustainable treats. Love + Chew products are on the shelves of over 2,000 stores including Sprouts, Costco, Whole Foods Market, and Amazon, reaching millions of consumers across the US.Before founding Love+Chew, Lauren worked in the sustainable energy technology space – in an energy storage startup called Stem and at Tesla, in business development, operations and sales roles. Lauren earned her Bachelors degree in Sociology, International Studies and Mandarin from the University of California San Diego. -----Past guests include Margaret Wishingrad, Kara Goldin, Brandi Chastain, Julie Foudy, Ann Miura Ko, Linda Avey, Sarah Leary, Becky Sauerbrunn and many more.Follow us on Instagram | LinkedIn | Youtube-----Show Notes: 1. Intro of She Leads + Lauren Chew 2. Lauren's early influences + growing up 3. Navigating the Corporate World and Discovering Passion for Sustainability4. Transition from Side-Hustle to Full-Time Business5. Bootsrapping6. Running a Consumer-Packaged Goods Co Do's and Don't's7. The Process of Rebranding8. Balancing Work and Family Life9. Challenges of Entrepreneurship10. Overcoming Self-doubt as a Solo Female FounderPlease share She Leads with a friend and Leave a Review!

Elena is the Chief Financial Officer of Toast, the cloud-based, end-to-end technology platform purpose-built for the entire restaurant community - a public company now valued close to $15Bn. With more than 30 years of experience in leading large global organizations, Elena’s expertise ranges from scaling and building SaaS businesses into multi-billion organizations and building and leading large-scale operational teams. Before joining Toast, Elena has held senior roles in finance working as the VP of Finance at Charles Schwab, SVP of Finance and Strategy at Salesforce and the Chief Financial Officer at Zendesk, where she helped scale the company to over $1 billion in annual revenue.Beyond operating, Elena is an investor and sits on the board of PagerDuty. She is also the chair of the Berkeley Haas School Board, serving as the first woman to serve in this role; Berkeley is also where she earned her Bachelors degree in Accounting. -----Past guests include Margaret Wishingrad, Kara Goldin, Brandi Chastain, Julie Foudy, Ann Miura Ko, Linda Avey, Sarah Leary, Becky Sauerbrunn and many more.Follow us on Instagram | LinkedIn | Youtube-----Show Notes: 1. Intro of Elena Gomez + She Leads2. Elena's Upbringing 3. The Value of Education and Work Ethic4. The Influence of Elena's Grandfather in Accounting5. Early Career at Charles Schwab + Navigating Imposter Syndrome6. Transition to Salesforce7. Authenticity and Self-Advocacy in the Workplace8. Becoming CFO + Building Trust in Relationships9. Top 3 Skills in a CFO: Storytelling, Communication, Customer Obsession10. Advocating for Diversity and Inclusion11. 'Work-Life Balance' as a Mother and CFOPlease share She Leads with a friend and Leave a Review!

Jessica is the CEO and Founder of Ours, a virtual couples therapy and premarital counseling platform with a mission to make couples therapy more accessible, destigmatized and designed for young, modern couples. Beyond Ours, Jessica also founded Access Distributed to help students at non-target recruiting schools land internships in finance and she also founded BLAZE Skincare, a personalized skincare brand. However, Jessica’s career started in finance. She received her Bachelors in accounting and finance from Georgetown University, and then started her professional career as an investment banker at Morgan Stanley and The Carlyle Group before receiving her MBA from Stanford Graduate School of business. -----Past guests include Margaret Wishingrad, Kara Goldin, Brandi Chastain, Julie Foudy, Ann Miura Ko, Linda Avey, Sarah Leary, Becky Sauerbrunn and many more.Follow us on Instagram | LinkedIn | Youtube-----1. Welcome to She Leads 2. Growing Up & Jessica's Upbringing3. Odd Jobs4. Choosing a Major in Finance and Business + Lessons Learned5. Power of Mentorship and Selecting the Right Ones6. Going to Business School and Having No Regrets7. Starting Access Distributed8. Founding Ours 9. Breaking Down the Stigma of Couples Therapy 10. Choosing a Cofounder: Kindness + Communication + Trust11. Lessons in Fundraising: Fake Excitement

Audrey is the Founder and CEO of Curious Cardinals, an edtech company committed to empowering K-12 students to discover and pursue their passions with the guidance of college mentors.Audrey started Curious Cardinals as a freshman at Stanford University, where she was pursuing a Bachelors degree in History. Just one year later, the COVID pandemic hit and Audrey ultimately decided to take a leave of absence from Stanford to pursue Curious Cardinals full time. Today, Curious Cardinals is a global community of over 500 top college students mentoring kids across the globe.Audrey has spoken on CNN, the Today Show and in Forbes to share her vision to create a community of lifelong learners and doers. She was also recognized in the 2022 Forbes 30 Under 30 Education and Youngest category.-----Past guests include Margaret Wishingrad, Kara Goldin, Brandi Chastain, Julie Foudy, Ann Miura Ko, Linda Avey, Sarah Leary, Becky Sauerbrunn and many more.Follow us on Instagram | LinkedIn | Youtube-----Show Notes:1. Welcome to She Leads2. Audrey's Upbringing in NY3. Audrey as a Child - being her own CEO4. Going to Stanford with a 10-year Plan5. The Impact of COVID6. Founding Story of Curious Cardinals 7. Power of Project-Based Learning and Mentorship in Education8. Fundraising for Curious Cardinals and Lessons Along the Way9. The Role of AI in Education Today10. The Power of Resilience and Continuous LearningPlease share She Leads with a friend and Leave a Review!

Jenna is the Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Harper Wilde, the DTC brand disrupting the $16 billion dollar intimate apparel industry with its mission to take the B.S. out of Bra Shopping. Jenna and the brand have been recognized as Forbes 30 Under 30 and Inc. Top 100 Female Founders as well as has been featured in Vogue, the New York Times, The Today Show, Good Morning America and many more. Jenna received her B.A. in Biological Sciences and Economics from Cornell University and her MBA from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, where she met her co-founder, Jane Fisher, and together began working on bringing Harper Wilde to life.Prior to Harper Wilde, as you will soon learn, Jenna worked as a consultant at Deloitte for 4 years as well as at digital health startups in a product management role. Her passion for healthcare and biology stemmed largely from her upbringing, coming from a family of physicians. -----Past guests include Margaret Wishingrad, Kara Goldin, Brandi Chastain, Julie Foudy, Ann Miura Ko, Linda Avey, Sarah Leary, Becky Sauerbrunn and many more.Follow us on Instagram | LinkedIn | Youtube-----Show Notes:1. Welcome to She Leads2. Jenna's upbringing in a family of physicians3. Choosing a career path 4. Transitioning from consulting to startups 5. Discovering the idea for Harper Wilde6. The Power of self-belief and taking risks 7. Navigating pushback from investors with Harper Wilde8. Building a strong company culture9. Lessons learned as an entrepreneur10. Defining success and personal growthPlease share She Leads with a friend and Leave a Review!

Gracie is an American figure skater. She is a 2014 Olympic bronze medalist, a six-time Grand Prix medalist, and a two-time U.S. national champion - both in 2014 and 2016. In 2017, Gracie stepped away from the ice to seek help for her mental health around depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, and an eating disorder. She recently returned to the ice and has become a passionate mental health advocate - leading her to be featured in Sports Illustrated, the Players Tribune, the NY Times, the HBO documentary, Weight of Gold, and countless other news sources. Given her experience, she’s led countless mental health initiatives and was recognized with the 2022 Bell of Hope Award. She recently released her memoir "Outofshapeworthlessloser: A Memoir of Figure Skating, F*cking Up, and Figuring It Out…" - a book in which she provides the most authentic and deep look into her journey from growing up to where she is today - navigating the world of being in the public eye as an elite figure skater. -----Past guests include Margaret Wishingrad, Kara Goldin, Brandi Chastain, Julie Foudy, Ann Miura Ko, Linda Avey, Sarah Leary, Becky Sauerbrunn and many more.Follow us on Instagram | LinkedIn | Youtube-----Show Notes:1. Welcome to She Leads2. Gracie's Childhood and Upbringing3. Gracie's Spirited Personality 4. Her introduction to Figure Skating 5. The Pressure and Subjectivity of Figure Skating 6. Finding Out She's an Olympian7. The Pressure of Body Image in Figure Skating 8. Promoting a Healthier Body Image in Sports 9. Creating a Safe Space for Athletes - Mental Health10. Quieting the Inner Critic Please share She Leads with a friend and Leave a Review!

Raegan is the Co-Founder and former CEO of Aden + Anais – the baby lifestyle brand globally recognized for its high-quality design-driven muslin swaddles and baby products.Her success with Aden + Anais earned her reputable awards, including being named as one of EY’s Entrepreneurs of the Year, considered one of the most prestigious business awards in the world. Aside from founding,  Raegan sits on the board of directors for Hopeland, a nonprofit created to help children who are separated from their family. Raegan is the author of "WHAT IT TAKES: How I Built a $100 Million Business Against the Odds", where she shares the story of her entrepreneurial journey from the kitchen table to a 100 million dollar global business. Perhaps even more impressive than all of this, Raegan is the mother to four beautiful daughters! -----Past guests include Margaret Wishingrad, Kara Goldin, Brandi Chastain, Julie Foudy, Ann Miura Ko, Linda Avey, Sarah Leary, Becky Sauerbrunn and many more.Follow us on Instagram | LinkedIn | Youtube-----Show Notes:1. Welcome to She Leads2. Raegan's Childhood and Upbringing3. Moving to New York4. Founding Story of Aden + Anais 5. Challenges in Co-Founder Relationships7. Choosing the Right Co-Founder8. Scaling a Global Business9. Hiring and building a team based on core traits 10. Navigating the Challenges of Raising Capital11. The Power of Resilience and Hard Work12. Finding Happiness and Living in the MomentPlease share She Leads with a friend and Leave a Review!

Send us a Text Message.With over twenty years’ of experience, Charlene is one of the most renowned celebrity and editorial stylists of her generation. Her work has graced the Oscars, the Golden Globes and the Cannes Film Festival, earning her recognition in Vogue, Vanity Fair, Forbes and many more. She has become a recognized stylist and designer  for today’s icons including Sofia Vergara, Eva Longoria, and Vince Vaughn.Charlene’s styling endeavors span from high profile magazines to television, for clients such as Coca-Cola, Tissot, L’Oreal, Remy Martin, Nike, Guess and T-Mobile.Now, Charlene is also the founder of Stone Windsor. Largely inspired by her daughter, Stone – Charlene has created a childrenswear collection that offers premium, eco-conscious clothing for kids (even the picky ones) that is designed for an easy and seamless mix and match styling process.----- You can find Charlene's styling website here: https://charleneroxborough.com/You can follow Charlene's Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/charroxstylist/?hl=enShop and explore Stone Windsor here: https://stonewindsor.com/-----Past guests include Margaret Wishingrad, Kara Goldin, Brandi Chastain, Julie Foudy, Ann Miura Ko, Linda Avey, Sarah Leary, Becky Sauerbrunn, Miriam Haart and many more.Follow us on Instagram | LinkedIn | Youtube-----Please share She Leads with a friend and leave a review! 

This episode was first recorded and released in September, 2020. Angie Bastian, the visionary co-founder of Angie's BOOMCHICKAPOP, ignited a global popcorn revolution from the confines of her Minnesota garage in 2001. She crafted a beloved brand of gluten-free, non-GMO popcorn that has taken the world by storm. In 2017, Conagra Brands recognized the exceptional appeal of Angie's BOOMCHICKAPOP and acquired the company, propelling it to new heights of success.Angie's outstanding achievements have garnered her well-deserved recognition. She has been honored as a Pioneer in Food and proudly inducted into the esteemed MN Women's Business Hall of Fame. Beyond her role at Angie's BOOMCHICKAPOP, Angie actively contributes to various ventures, serving on the boards of Prospera Foods and Opportunity International Nicaragua. A former Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner, she made the bold decision to retire from her nursing career in 2011, fully dedicating herself to the world of entrepreneurship.With an enduring partnership spanning 28 years, Angie and her husband have built a legacy that extends beyond business success. Together, they have raised two remarkable children and remain an inspiration to aspiring entrepreneurs everywhere. Angie Bastian's extraordinary journey exemplifies the power of determination, innovation, and unwavering commitment to creating something truly extraordinary.-----Past guests include Margaret Wishingrad, Kara Goldin, Brandi Chastain, Julie Foudy, Ann Miura Ko, Linda Avey, Sarah Leary, Becky Sauerbrunn, Miriam Haart and many more.Follow us on Instagram | LinkedIn | Youtube-----If you're enjoying the show, please share it with a friend and leave a review!

Aisha is the founder of Bossy Cosmetics, a hyper-growth independent beauty company that inspires, empowers, and champions ambitious working women. Under her leadership, the company has grown from a purely digitally native footprint to retailing in over 600 retail doors across the country, including JCPenney and Nordstrom, as well as on Amazon.com. The brand was selected (numerous times) as one of the coveted “Oprah’s Favorite Things”, and has won honorable mentions and awards from Fast Company in Innovation by Design and various product awards from Self and Ebony Magazines. In the 5 years since its founding, Aisha has redefined the way beauty companies “see” professional women and has been featured in NPR’s How I Built Resilience,, Forbes, W Magazine, InStyle, Refinery29, amongst others.Prior to founding Bossy Cosmetics, Aisha led a different life - as a 20-year global finance executive having worked over the course of her career at Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Lehman Brothers, Standard Chartered Bank, World Bank, and Rand Merchant Bank. Aishe has worked on over $130 billion in M&A, private equity financings, IPOs, and public capital market transactions. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Cornell University, an MBA from the Harvard Business School, and was a Fellow in the Distinguished Careers Institute at Stanford University. Perhaps even more impressive than all of this, Aisha is a wife and the mother of three sons! -----Past guests include Margaret Wishingrad, Kara Goldin, Brandi Chastain, Julie Foudy, Ann Miura Ko, Linda Avey, Sarah Leary, Becky Sauerbrunn, Miriam Haart and many more.Follow us on Instagram | LinkedIn | Youtube-----Show Notes:1. Welcome to She Leads2. Aisha's Childhood and Values3. Emphasis and Importance of Education 4. Grappling with her Dual Identity as a Nigerian Growing Up in America5. The Value and Optimizing for Money and Finding Financial Security Growing Up6. Navigating Career Paths – Tackling Job Security Vs. Passion7. Optimizing for Wealth as a Woman8. Rising Up the Investment Banking and Finance Career Path Ladder 9. Choosing to go to Harvard Business School 10. Aisha's Mental Health During  the Pinnacle of Her Banking Career11. Quitting her Banking Job (and the Health Scare that Led to this)12. Balancing Work and Family 13. Taking off to Palo Alto and the Distinguished Careers Institute Fellowship at Stanford 14. Founding Bossy Cosmetics + Early Days 15. Venture Capital Responses + Rejections of Bossy Cosmetics16. Aisha Defining Success - Then and Now If you're enjoying the show, please share it with a friend and leave a r

My guest today is Wendy Weston.Wendy Weston started Perfect Picnic with a dream, a small blanket and endless drive and passion. She decided to hang up her figure skates, moving on from her career as a successful competitive skating coach. She has worked her way from the bottom literally - from the basements of Chinatown to her Perfect Picnic storefront across from Central Park. Wendy now delivers her vision of delicious food, and a luxury experience to New York City, The Hamptons and Cape Cod. Over the past 13 years Weston has transformed her vision into a successful business selling millions of dollars worth of picnics. She additionally has paved the way for others in the fast growing "Picnic Industry". The idea "if you can make it here you can make it anywhere" has kept her going as she balanced being a single mother determined to show her daughter what a strong woman could accomplish on her own. She has turned a quiet corner of the Upper West side to a destination for New Yorkers and travelers from around the world. She was recently awarded the Women in Business award from Chase Bank.-----Past guests include Margaret Wishingrad, Kara Goldin, Brandi Chastain, Julie Foudy, Ann Miura Ko, Linda Avey, Sarah Leary, Becky Sauerbrunn, Miriam Haart and many more.Follow us on Instagram | LinkedIn | Youtube-----Show Notes:1. Welcome to She Leads2. Wendy's Childhood + Figure Skating 3. The Impact and Challenges of Leaving Figure Skating on Her Identity4. The Importance of Freedom and Independence5. Lessons Learned Along the Way with Finding Independence6. Evaluating Opportunities and Navigating Life7. Dealing with Disappointment and Expectations 8. Inspiration for Perfect Picnic 9. Rewards and Challenges of Founding a Company10. Work-Life Balance and Putting Yourself First 11. Separating Success from Self-Worth 12. Learning Curve of Founding Perfect Picnic13. Passion for Women's Sexual Health 14. Contrary Opinion of Birth and Death 15. The Practice of Acceptanance Wendy's Passion? Women's Sexual Health and the Difference of Discourse Wendy's life-time craft she is honing? AcceptanceIf you're enjoying the show, please share it with a friend and leave a review!

Holly is the Co-Founder of Kabam – a mobile gaming company that sold for approximately $1B to NetMarble in 2017. They grew Kabam to over 1500 employees with 6 offices worldwide. Prior to Kabam, Holly graduated from UCLA with a degree in Communications and East Asian studies and received her Masters from Berkeley in Information Management and Systems. She started her professional career in consulting and working as a User Interface Designer at AOL. Throughout her 10-year tenure as the Co-Founder of Kabam, Holly led efforts in a variety of roles: including User Experience, HR, Development and People. Her work has contributed to record revenue growth for Kabam year over year from $0 to $400MM annually, that led Kabam into the unicorn club in 2014. She led the design for Kabam’s award-winning "Kingdoms of Camelot" franchise, which has grossed over $250 million in less than four years and the extension game, which was the top grossing app on iOS in 2012. After Kabam, Holly transitioned to the other side of the table as an investor. She spent 2 years as a Visiting Partner at Y Combinator - the leading startup accelerator for entrepreneurs. She is a consummate entrepreneur, executive, and startup mentor. Naturally, Holly has been a leading woman in gaming and entrepreneurship, named by Fortune as the “10 Most Powerful Women in Gaming”. -----Past guests include Margaret Wishingrad, Kara Goldin, Brandi Chastain, Julie Foudy, Ann Miura Ko, Linda Avey, Sarah Leary, Becky Sauerbrunn, Miriam Haart and many more.Follow us on Instagram | LinkedIn | Youtube-----Show Notes:1. Welcome to She Leads2. Holly's Early Life and Influences 3. Navigating and Finding Peace with her Asian Identity 4. Meeting Co-Founders and Initial Brainstorming Ideas 5. Founding a Company Idea 1: Social Corporate Network6. Challenges in Building a B2B Business7. Pivoting to Community Apps on Facebook 8. Entering the Gaming Industry 9. Navigating the 2008 Recession 10. Scaling Culture 11. Balancing Diversity & Scaling in Hiring 12. Experience as a Woman in Gaming 13. Selling Kabam for Over $1 Billion Dollars 14. Book Recs & Lifetime Craft  Holly's book recommendation? The bible Holly's life-time craft she is honing? Being OpenIf you're enjoying the show, please share it with a friend and leave a review!

Fran is a serial entrepreneur and Super Founder with over 25 years of experience pioneering category-disrupting B2C and B2B internet businesses. Fran is widely recognized for her leadership as Co-Founder and first General Manager of the online dating service Match.com, Founder of the privacy compliance tech company TRUSTe (now known as TrustArc), and Founder and CEO of her current venture, BabyQuip, the #1 global baby gear rental brand.  BabyQuip currently serves over 2k markets and maintains a network of independent gig economy entrepreneurs in the thousands.  As an award-winning business icon, trailblazer for women in tech, and advocate for female entrepreneurship, Fran has been named to the “150 Most Influential Women in Bay Area Business” by the SF Business Times, “Top 25 Women in Tech to Watch in Silicon Valley” by AlwaysOn and she is the 2016 recipient of the prestigious Jerry I. Porras Latino Leadership Award from Stanford Graduate School of Business, where she earned her Bachelors and MBA. Fran was also a featured expert on entrepreneurship in the acclaimed documentary film “She Started It” and appeared on ABC’s Shark Tank.-----Past guests include Margaret Wishingrad, Kara Goldin, Brandi Chastain, Julie Foudy, Ann Miura Ko, Linda Avey, Sarah Leary, Becky Sauerbrunn, Miriam Haart and many more.Follow us on Instagram | LinkedIn | Youtube-----Show Notes:1. Welcome to She Leads2. Tanya's Early Life + Entrepreneurial Spirit3. Her First Yogurt Shop at Stanford4. Transition Post-Stanford into Consulting and Clorox Co. 5. The Rise of the Internet6. Founding Story of Match.com 7. Reflections + the Impact of Match.com 8. Lessons Learned + Advice for Female Founders9. Living in the Future and Identifying Opportunities10. Career Trajectory: Transition to Women.com and Founding TrustArc11. Gaining Confidence in each Career Pivot12. Founding BabyQuip13. Navigating Challenges and Adapting to the Gig Economy14. Recognizing true PMF15. The Importance of Timing in Entrepreneurship16. Working with Family in Business17. Ever-Changing Perspectives on Success18. Addressing Gender Biases and Stereotypes19. Challenging Misrepresentation and Advocating for Women 20. Changing Perspectives on Marriage21. Honing Patience and Being Present Fran's changed perspective in the last decade? MarriageFran's life-time craft she is honing? Patience + Being PresentIf you're enjoying the show, please share it with a friend and leave a review!