Wonder Podcast: Empowering Women Entrepreneurs to Change the World

Shirley Wiliani is the founder of A La C.A.R.T.E. Solutions (ALC for short) and has over 20 years of experience in accounting and finance. ALC aims to provide owners of small and mid-sized businesses with accounting services on par with that of larger enterprises. Shirley’s experience makes her a frequent speaker, having recently spoken at EO Los Angeles’s Forum about The Predictive Index. This episode also talks about how Shirley created a thriving business with a strong focus on employee well-being and cultural fit. She also opens up about overcoming personal hardships, such as her battle with breast cancer and its profound impact on her life and business philosophy.    Timestamps: 01:44 Meet Shirley 04:04 Discovering the Predictive Index 05:50 Personal Strengths 08:06 Employee Engagement 15:13 Difficult Clients 19:52 Boundaries for Success 21:27 Top and Bottom 1% 22:29 Overcoming Breast Cancer 23:31 Marriage Counseling Date Nights 26:29 The Predictive Index vs. Other Personality Tests 38:29 The Power of Vulnerability  

Christy Moody is the founder of Soleil Sunwear, a California-made but French-inspired sunwear clothing and apparel brand. Wanting to protect her skin from harmful sun exposure, Christy set out to create a brand that was both stylish and comfortable while also being effective. From her initial prototypes on her living room floor to creating a hugely successful brand, Christy’s journey has been one of grit and determination. Listen in as Christy shares insights on navigating sales, marketing, and the importance of word of mouth. As Christy says, “ It doesn't matter how good your product is if people don't know about it.”   Timestamps: 01:21 About Christy 02:19 Inspiration for Soleil Sunwear 05:55 Challenges 08:20 Building the Brand 15:41 Strategies and Collaborations 20:06 Customer Feedback 24:41 Embracing Creativity and Taking the First Step 26:10 Balancing Business Growth and Financial Stability 27:44 The Power of Persistence 30:56 Community and Collaboration 33:47 Exciting Plans and Future Collaborations 39:20 Learning from Mistakes and Moving Forward   Links: Soleil Sunwear: https://soleilsunwear.com/ Christy Moody: https://www.instagram.com/christy_moody/  

Tracy Holland is a founder, investor, and executive chairman who has made a significant impact in the beauty and wellness industry. She co-founded Hatch Beauty and has grown it into a global leader with 120 employees and 20 retail partnerships. She also founded Goodwill Brands LLC, which focuses on accelerating consumer brand growth through talent and acquisitions. Her innovative hair and skincare brand with products formulated for diverse patients, Be Serene Clean, is endorsed by numerous hospitals such as John’s Hopkins, UCLA, and Cedars Sinai for its quality and customer satisfaction. She has numerous accolades, such as 2017’s EY Entrepreneur of the Year, and the 2019 Fashion and Beauty Award for Beauty Service Provider for the Year. Listen in!   Timestamps: 01:27 About Tracy Holland 02:53 Tracy's Entrepreneurial Journey 06:02 Building Hatch Beauty 10:13 Challenges and Strategies in Retail Distribution 23:55 Innovations in Medical Supply Business 34:08 Daily Habits for Success 34:19 Growth Mindset Explained 36:05 Overcoming Business Challenges 40:10 Importance of Wellness 44:50 Listen to Nature 49:03 Inner Fifth 55:11 Advice for Women Entrepreneurs 57:37 Fun and Personal Insights 59:33 Gratitude   Links: Goodwill Brands: https://goodwillbrands.com/ Be Serene Clean: https://besereneclean.com/  

Gino Wickman has been an entrepreneur since he was 21 years old, always having had an obsession for learning what makes businesses thrive. When he was 25 years old, Gino took over his family business. After successfully running it for seven years, he and his partners successfully sold the company. Gino is also the creator of the Entrepreneurial Operating System, or EOS, a “practical method for helping companies achieve greatness.” Having delivered more than 2000 full-day learning sessions for more than 135 companies, Gino has been instrumental in helping businesses and entrepreneurs thrive. Listen in as he shares his story and how the experiences he had growing up shaped who he is today.   Timestamps: 02:54 - Before the tools 04:29 - Meeting his co-author Rob 05:31 - The 10 disciplines 07:14 - Know your 100% 14:56 - Ten year thinking 19:29 - Know thyself 26:15 - Standards of integrity 29:42 - Myers-Briggs 32:25 - Take time off 36:23 - Being driven 42:17 - Say no often 44:51 - Saying no in your personal life 47:01 - Don’t do $25/hr work 50:33 - Prepare every night 54:11 - Put everything in one place 56:54 - Be humble   Links: Shine: How Looking Inward Is the Key to Unlocking True Entrepreneurial Freedom: https://a.co/d/8h1P3Un Gino’s Website: https://ginowickman.com/ The 10 Disciplines: https://the10disciplines.com/  

Description:  Joan Nguyen is the co-founder and CEO of Bumo, a platform that aims to revolutionize the childcare industry by offering accessible, free, on-demand services to support busy parents. Bumo offers parents a peaceful, beautiful workspace with education-based childcare and preschool. Growing up raised by refugee parents, Joan spent much of her childhood living in poverty. Her parents raised her with the understanding that education was not only important, but also a privilege. Her passion for education and learning also drove her to start MeriEducation, an INC5000 company that provides educational services such as SAT prep and academic tutoring. Listen in as Joan shares her story and how Bumo is having an incredible impact on families everywhere.    Timestamps: 03:24 - Origin story 06:26 - Bottom 5% 13:26 - Looking forward with Bumo 17:06 - Connecting everything together 19:51 - Challenges 24:22 - Target audience 25:49 - Branding 27:49 - Women in the workplace 31:24 - A typical day 37:19 - Finding a co-founder 40:24 - Celebrity investors 41:29 - Let’s Talk 43:02 - Dreams 45:49 - MeriEducation 47:45 - Advice for women entrepreneurs Links: Bumo: https://www.bumowork.com/ Joan’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joan.bumo/  

John Assaraf, also known as “The Brain Whisperer,” is one of the leading high performance and success coaches in the world. He is the CEO of MyNeuroGym.com, a neuroscience-based company that is dedicated to helping individuals improve and strengthen their mindset to help them achieve their goals. John is a behavioral neuroscience researcher who has been featured on Larry King, Anderson Cooper, and the Ellen DeGeneres Show. He is also a New York Times Bestselling Author, having written 4 books that have been translated into 35 languages. John has been featured in 11 movies, including the film “The Secret,” based on the book by Rhonda Byrne.  Timestamped show notes 01:43 - Movie experience 07:11 - NeuroGym 09:44 - Advice for entrepreneurs 13:56 - John’s Catalyst 20:01 - Books and fun 21:26 - Brainathon 23:05 - Building habits 25:47 - Running a business well 30:29 - The Brain Post-COVID 40:07 - Fight, Flight, or Freeze 45:35 - Awareness Links John’s Website: https://www.johnassaraf.com/ My NeuroGym: https://myneurogym.com/

Lindsay Nahmiache is the co-founder of Jive PR + Digital, an award-winning marketing agency. She is also the CMO of Songtradr, a global B2B music platform for artists and music buyers. Lindsay was recognized as one of the 100 Most Powerful Women by The Financial Post, the Enterprising Woman of the Year, Top 40 Under 40, and Profit: Top Female Entrepreneurs among other accolades. Needless to say, Lindsay has made quite an impact. Listen in as she shares her stories of how she started, how she plans to keep moving forward, and how you too can dive into the world of entrepreneurship.    Timestamps: 01:55 - Life Update 04:07 - Momtrepreneur 05:48 - Is entrepreneurship a good path? 07:58 - Getting started 10:42 - Learning from obstacles 15:33 - Ideas for the future 18:06 - Looking forward 22:29 - Daily habits 29:11 - Finding a coach 31:21 - Learning your blind spots Links: Lindsay’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsaynahmiache/ Jive PR + Digital: https://jiveprdigital.com/ Songtradr: https://www.songtradr.com/

Van Lai-DuMone is the founder of worksmart, a progressive team and leadership development consultancy that emphasizes creativity and experiential learning in order to enrich company culture and performance. Some of worksmart’s notable clients include the likes of Google, LinkedIn, and MeUndies. Van credits her upbringing in shaping how she sees the world. Her family moved to the US as war refugees from Vietnam and watched her parents pave a new life for themselves in an unfamiliar environment. She witnessed firsthand how creativity, curiosity, and innovation can help people improve their circumstances. Van’s 17 years of corporate and start-up experience give her the edge she needs on her journey to rewrite the way creativity is applied in the workplace. Listen in!   Timestamps: 02:00 - Starting worksmart 03:56 - Creativity in the workplace 05:51 - Being creative 07:26 - Creativity in youth 10:37 - Coaxing out creativity 12:48 - Thriving clients 15:39 - Other creative exercises 18:43 - Van’s Ted Talk 24:57 - Van’s Inspiring Mother 27:02 - Experiencing chaos 32:15 - Reframing 36:27 - Transformation 39:54 - Looking forward 43:40 - Open to possibility 45:23 - Getting in touch 46:29 - Do today’s work today 49:22 - Habits that lead to success   Links: Worksmart: https://www.worksmartadvantage.com/ Van’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vanlaidumone/  

Description:  Tanya Chernova is a renowned speaker, author, and business expert who has traveled over 50 countries sharing her knowledge. She has spoken for numerous brands such as Cisco, Henessy, and NASA. Her workshop, The Neuroscience of Success, focuses on helping entrepreneurs improve their lives by acknowledging patterns, transforming their neuronal wiring, and igniting confidence. Tanya was also named one of the Top 100 Most Powerful Women in Canada by the Financial Post and WXN and was the #1 Rated Speaker for EO’s Global Leadership Conference in 2016. Listen in as she shares her insights on how you can create the life you love in every area.   Timestamps: 02:19 - Training your brain 03:15 - Being intentional 05:44 - Ordinary to extraordinary 11:53 - Becoming the best person you can be 13:16 - Oxytocin makes us smarter 16:57 - Positive vs passive 20:47 - Assumptions 24:56 - Journeys 29:54 - Self-confidence 34:10 - Getting over self-sabotage 39:32 - Worrying about the future 46:40 - Looking forward 50:30 - A typical day   Links: Tanya’s Website: https://tanyachernova.com/  

Scott Cohen is a serial entrepreneur and investor. Throughout his career, Scott has shown that he is able to build successful tech companies from the ground up all the way to a successful exit. His most recent venture, Byte, a direct-to-consumer brand for oral care and invisible teeth aligners, was acquired in 2021 for over a billion dollars. Byte was the fourth start-up in Los Angeles to exit for over a billion dollars. Listen in and listen as Scott shares his insights and experiences.   Timestamps: 03:32 - Billion dollar exits 04:48 - Starting Byte 06:49 - Enduring COVID 10:59 - Net Promoter Score 12:53 - Branding 15:21 - Data 18:26 - Hiring people 24:33 - Advice for entrepreneurs 26:31 - Grit and determination 27:47 - Entrepreneurs: born or made? 29:38 - Scott’s kids 31:03 - Motivation 33:28 - Giving back   Links: Scott’s Website: https://www.thescottcohen.com/  

Leslie Shields is the principal agent and owner of The Shields Agency, a female-driven insurance agency whose goal is to help small businesses and individuals find the right insurance solutions. She started The Shields Agency in 2019, after working for several national insurance agencies for six years. She is the MyEO Women’s National Delegate and the Social Chair for the Fort Worth chapter. Listen in as Leslie talks about how to make a sale, how she started her business, how she navigates being a mom and entrepreneur, and how it takes a village to build a business.   Timestamps: 02:23 - Her start 05:26 - Sales Tips 07:04 - What makes a good salesperson 08:13 - Superstars 09:55 - Learning about EO 12:08 - Realization 14:48 - Insights & introspection 18:16 - Juggling responsibilities 20:00 - Asking for help 22:37 - Daily habits 26:27 - It takes a village 27:52 - Looking to 2024 30:13 - EO connections 35:31 - Advice for entrepreneurs 41:15 - Intuition   Links: The Shields Agency: https://www.theshieldsagency.com/ Leslie’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lesliealiceshields/  

AJ Herkert is the CEO of TruScribe, which offers video production services and whiteboard animation software whose goal is to increase engagement and retention. He’s a 4th generation entrepreneur and has co-founded multiple companies in the media and communications industry. With clients such as NASA, BMW, Microsoft, and Sony Pictures on his resume, AJ has quite the experience. Listen in as he talks about AI, his origins, and things to look forward to in 2024.   Timestamps: 01:35 - AJ’s Start 03:54 - Top and Bottom 5% 12:21 - Challenges 13:29 - Ideas 17:34 - Educating 22:18 - Telling a story 25:11 - Squigl.AI 34:58 - Global partners 38:16 - Cautious on AI 43:51 - AI Advice for entrepreneurs 48:52 - Looking forward to 2024   Links: AJ’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ajherkert/ TruScribe: https://truscribe.com/ Squigl.AI: https://squigl.ai/  

Jim Cathcart is a man of many talents and achievements. He’s an entrepreneur, family man, musician, world-traveler, author, and speaker. He’s written 25 books and hundreds of articles. He is also one of the top 5 most award-winning speakers in the world, with his TEDx talk amassing 2.7 million views. He’s a Certified Virtual Presenter and former National President of the National Speakers Association. From 2015 through 2019, Jim lectured in 23 cities across mainland China and also had an around-the-world lecture tour. He’s also part of the band, “ReZoom The Boom,” which has performed in shows all around the world. Listen in as Jim shares his journey!    Timestamps: 01:36 - Jim’s introduction 03:35 - Change vs transformation 07:42 - Going pro 10:34 - Jim’s network 13:57 - Favorite books 18:27 - Confidence and courage 23:20 - Clarity 26:39 - What to do when you are the speaker 34:46 - Attracting the right people 35:47 - Becoming a better salesperson 44:50 - Dealing with sales rejection 49:02 - Tips for dealing with sales rejection 53:50 - Jim’s talents 57:50 - Something that brings you joy Links: Jim’s Website: https://cathcart.com/

Jenny Calcoen is the CEO and founder of Inner Earthquake, a consulting and coaching practice aimed at helping GenX women that have gone through an “inner earthquake.” Jenny provides one-on-one coaching and gives women the tools to create a life of happiness and fulfillment despite the obstacles they may face. Listen in as Jenny shares her story!   Timestamps: 01:37 - Starting Inner Earthquake 05:10 - Jenny’s Inner Earthquake 09:09 - Blank Slate 13:27 - Working with Jenny 15:01 - Mindfulness practices 20:11 - Advice for dealing with your inner earthquakes 26:02 - Soft skills 29:11 - Working with GenX-ers 31:41 - Looking forward 35:11 - Staying inspired   Links: Jenny’s Website: https://www.jennycalcoen.com/  

Franziska is an entrepreneur, marketing and brand strategist, adventurer, author, and co-founder of Basic Bananas, Ocean Lovers, Movements of Humanity, and The Business Hood. She is the winner of the Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2013 for her innovation, philanthropy, and creativity. Franziska prides herself in her rebellious and adventurous nature, having traveled the world on her motorcycle and experiencing all it has to offer. She has been featured in various media outlets including Inc, Forbes, Business Insider, and Cosmopolitan. Listen in as she shares her incredible journey!   Timestamps: 03:34 - How Franziska came to be 08:39 - Adventures shaped her journey 17:46 - Different paths 19:03 - A universe that has your back 27:34 - Generous soul 29:25 - Encouraging women entrepreneurs 34:25 - Showing up 39:34 - Evoking awareness 43:45 - Looking to the future 50:32 - Intuition 53:02 - Parting advice   Links: Franziska’s Website: https://franziskaiseli.com/ Franziska’s Books: https://franziskaiseli.com/books/  

Tracy Crossley is an author, entrepreneur, podcast host, and behavioral relationship expert. Her book, Overcoming Insecure Attachment, talks about how to take action and stop fear and anxiety from controlling your life. Her specialty is working with individuals with unhealthy dating and relationship patterns as well as those with behavioral issues like insecure attachment. Listen in as Tracy shares her story. From running a marketing agency to becoming a life coach, from working as a psychic to becoming a behavioral relationship expert–Tracy has had quite the journey! Timestamped show notes:01:51 - Origin story 05:48 - Ontological coaching 06:49 - Insecure attachment 10:53 - Improving emotional intelligence 14:32 - Awareness 16:26 - Impostor syndrome 22:31 - Insecurity 26:07 - Advice for women entrepreneurs 34:36 - Patterns 43:39 - Working with Tracy 49:20 - Finding someone 53:07 - Tracy’s podcasts Links: Tracy’s Website: https://tracycrossley.com/ Tracy’s Podcasts: https://tracycrossley.com/podcast/ Overcoming Insecure Attachment: https://tracycrossley.com/book/  

Chris Krause is the founder of NCSA College Recruiting, an organization dedicated to helping student-athletes achieve their dreams of playing in college. Almost having fallen through the cracks himself and almost missing his chance to play in college, Chris ultimately found himself playing for Vanderbilt University on a full athletic scholarship. However, he saw many of his peers, some better than him, miss their chance at a scholarship. Knowing how difficult the college recruitment process can be, Chris turned his passion for helping student-athletes and founded NCSA. NCSA has been featured in Inc. Magazine as #26 in the Fastest Growing Companies in Education category. Listen in as Chris shares his incredible story and expresses his passion for helping others. Timestamped show notes 01:55 - Blessed 06:40 - 100,000 students with scholarships each year 08:50 - Digital Transformation 11:10 - What sets Chris apart 15:18 - Resilience 19:16 - Giving back 24:01 - Athleadership 29:10 - Teamwork 32:10 - College scholarship advice 38:37 - How it works 42:18 - Attitude 48:54 - Contact info Links: NCSA: https://NCSAsports.org/ Chris’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chriskrause/ Chris’s Email: ck@chriskrause.com

Shaun Pennington is an entrepreneur, investor, inventor, father, and soon-to-be certified life coach with the Academy for Coaching Excellence (ACE). Shaun is the CEO of Diamond Mattress, a family-owned bedding producer and supplier in California. With more than 20 years of experience in this industry, Shaun has been recognized as a rising star and leader. He also has three patents and 10 trademarks under his belt. Listen in as Shaun talks about growing business, the importance of coaching, and how he handles the obstacles that are presented in entrepreneurship and in life. Timestamped show notes 01:53 - Maximizing potential 03:34 - Foundations for success 05:22 - Personal compass 06:45 - Academy for Coaching Excellence 07:45 - Resetting 09:52 - Shaun’s Recommended Reading 14:48 - Willingness 16:13 - Shaun’s upcoming plans 18:50 - Mindfulness and meditation 21:24 - Asking for help 26:51 - Advice for entrepreneurs 35:51 - Going through crises 40:06 - Silent retreats 47:36 - Reaching out Links Shaun’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shaun-pennington-740a7417/ Diamond Mattress: https://diamondmattress.com/

Justin Breen is the founder and CEO of BrEpic Communications, a global PR firm that helps highlight businesses through clicky stories and helps clients find the right pitch for media outlets. Justin is also a bestselling author, known for his book “Epic Life: How to Build Collaborative Global Companies While Putting Your Loved Ones First.” With over 20 years of experience in the media business, Justin is truly a PR expert. He is also an expert in personality types and understands deeply what it takes to collaborate with others. Listen in and discover just how uniquely Justin is able to navigate the world of entrepreneurship.  Timestamped show notes 01:59 - Personality types 06:30 - Why write the book? 07:20 - Activate, Maximize, Achieve 10:01 - Justin’s catalyst 11:35 - Journalist to entrepreneur 12:59 - Networker or connector 16:03 - Next for Justin 18:24 - PR Secrets! 21:29 - Trends for 2023 24:46 - Uncertainty and opportunity 26:56 - Some tests to take 32:43 - Basic assumption 34:21 - Justin’s litmus test 43:01 - The Cube, Ladder, Horse Test Links BrEpic: https://www.brepicllc.com/ Epic Life: https://a.co/d/aZfPrUh Lumina Spark: https://luminalearning.com/en_us/products-en_us/lumina-spark/ PRINT: https://www.paulhertzgroup.com/how-print-works/ Ambivert Test: https://ideas.ted.com/quiz-are-you-an-extrovert-introvert-or-ambivert/

Elizabeth Yang is the CEO and founder of Yang Law Offices. Elizabeth has been practicing law since 2007 and specializes in IP, patent, copyright, and trademark law. She also has extensive experience in family law issues such as child custody, child support, alimony, asset division, prenups, and postnups. She has been recognized by Reuters as a rising star, ranking her within the top 2.5% of lawyers in California. Elizabeth has also won the Lawyers of Distinction Award, recognizing her as part of the top 10% of lawyers in the entire United States. She is also a bestselling author, known for her works such as The Big Secret and Stress-Free Divorce. Listen in and learn how this electrical engineer and computer science graduate became one of the top lawyers in the country.  Timestamped show notes 03:14 - Raytheon to Bar Exam 05:24 - Social Marriage 07:21 - Avoiding Divorce 10:03 - Picking the right person 14:52 - Challenges 20:06 - Commitment is internal 23:52 - Meditation and compromise 28:36 - Being unflappable 32:39 - Managing people 35:57 - Business Coaches 38:03 - Looking to 2023 46:26 - Motherhood and entrepreneurship 53:20 - Advice for aspiring entrepreneurs Links Yang Law Offices: https://yanglawoffices.com/ The Big Secret: https://a.co/d/aP4TkXG Stress-Free Divorce: https://a.co/d/f6gHa1S