Founder Interviews

Lived It, Launched It

Unfiltered interviews with female founders about the early stages of building a company.

She thought she was starting a pandemic side project. It became a luxury home brand.

She thought she was starting a pandemic side project. It became a luxury home brand.

How Amy Burstyn Fritz Built Misette, a Luxury Tableware Brand Inspired by Family Traditions After years producing luxury events, Amy Burstyn Fritz founded Misette to create heirloom-quality tableware that felt as artistic as it was functional.

She thought she was starting a pandemic side project. It became a luxury home brand.

How Amy Burstyn Fritz Built Misette, a Luxury Tableware Brand Inspired by Family Traditions After years producing luxury events, Amy Burstyn Fritz founded Misette to create heirloom-quality tableware that felt as artistic as it was functional.

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Her sister's melanoma diagnosis prompted her to reinvent sunscreen.

Her sister's melanoma diagnosis prompted her to reinvent sunscreen.

How Megan Black built SONNI, a new type of mineral sunscreen brand After her sister was diagnosed with melanoma, Megan Black founded SONNI to create a mineral sunscreen people would actually want to wear every day.

Her sister's melanoma diagnosis prompted her to reinvent sunscreen.

How Megan Black built SONNI, a new type of mineral sunscreen brand After her sister was diagnosed with melanoma, Megan Black founded SONNI to create a mineral sunscreen people would actually want to wear every day.

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Her sister's melanoma diagnosis prompted her to reinvent sunscreen.

Her sister's melanoma diagnosis prompted her to reinvent sunscreen.

How Megan Black built SONNI, a new type of mineral sunscreen brand Megan Black built SONNI, a mineral sunscreen brand that eliminates the white cast and greasy feel that keep people from wearing SPF every day.

Her sister's melanoma diagnosis prompted her to reinvent sunscreen.

How Megan Black built SONNI, a new type of mineral sunscreen brand Megan Black built SONNI, a mineral sunscreen brand that eliminates the white cast and greasy feel that keep people from wearing SPF every day.

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She retired. Then she built a soup company sold in 1,400 stores.

She retired. Then she built a soup company sold in 1,400 stores.

How Ilona Kossoff Built 18 Chestnuts, a Better-for-you Plant-Based Soup Company She Retired. Then She Built a Soup Company Sold in 1,400 Stores. Ilona Kossoff built 18 Chestnuts, a plant-based soup brand, after years of digestive issues led her to rethink the relationship between food and health.

She retired. Then she built a soup company sold in 1,400 stores.

How Ilona Kossoff Built 18 Chestnuts, a Better-for-you Plant-Based Soup Company She Retired. Then She Built a Soup Company Sold in 1,400 Stores. Ilona Kossoff built 18 Chestnuts, a plant-based soup brand, after years of digestive issues led her to rethink the relationship between food and health.

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The LinkedIn post that turned a rejection into $500,000

The LinkedIn post that turned a rejection into $500,000

How Rebecca Styn built Blind Tiger, the non-alcoholic cocktail brand inspired by a pandemic pivot Rebecca Styn built Blind Tiger after customers couldn't stop buying the non-alcoholic cocktail mixers she created to help save her bar during the pandemic.

The LinkedIn post that turned a rejection into $500,000

How Rebecca Styn built Blind Tiger, the non-alcoholic cocktail brand inspired by a pandemic pivot Rebecca Styn built Blind Tiger after customers couldn't stop buying the non-alcoholic cocktail mixers she created to help save her bar during the pandemic.

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She spent years trying to get rid of her facial hair. It led her to build a $1.4 million hormone care company.

She spent years trying to get rid of her facial hair. It led her to build a $1.4 million hormone care company.

How Amara Onwukaeme built Femigist, a $1.4 million botanical-powered hormone care company After years of trying to treat unwanted facial hair caused by undiagnosed PCOS, Amara Onwukaeme founded Femigist, which develops symptom-specific hormone care systems.

She spent years trying to get rid of her facial hair. It led her to build a $1.4 million hormone care company.

How Amara Onwukaeme built Femigist, a $1.4 million botanical-powered hormone care company After years of trying to treat unwanted facial hair caused by undiagnosed PCOS, Amara Onwukaeme founded Femigist, which develops symptom-specific hormone care systems.

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