Lady Boss with Courtney Wright

Dr. Elizabeth Lombardo: Mastering Your Mental Health

Courtney Wright — Tue, 10 Dec 2024 15:14:00 +0000

Known as America’s most-trusted celebrity psychologist, Dr. Elizabeth Lombardo is one of the most influential experts on stress - and the impact it has on peak performance, mental well-being, and full, purpose-fueled life.

Dr. E brings unparalleled energy, along with over 20 years of psychology and neuroscience, to everything she does. As a sought-after keynote speaker, author, and coach, she helps people identify how “The Red Zone” - critical moments of high stress - is shaping their behaviors, decisions, health, and overall performance.

Listen in to the Lady Boss Podcast as we dive into the business of psychology – and learn how we as entrepreneurs can unleash performance, profits, and untapped potential by making sure stress gets the best from us, and not the best of us.

Rabecca Ann: Standing Out in a World of Glam

Courtney Wright — Tue, 19 Nov 2024 14:50:00 +0000

The Lady Boss Podcast celebrates entrepreneurs who are redefining success on their terms - and today's guest is a perfect example. Rabecca Ann is a powerhouse makeup artist with over 12 years of experience crafting natural, confidence-boosting looks. As the founder of Rabecca Ann Artistry, she’s built a luxury brand serving elite clients, from celebrities to brides, with her signature "No-Makeup, Makeup" style that exudes effortless beauty.

She’s proof that confidence truly is your superpower, but there is so much more that goes into the business of glam than just a pretty social media feed. And today, we dig a little deeper under the surface to find out what really goes on in the world of makeup, how she is able to stand out from the crowd, and what the future looks like as she scales her business.

John Cerasani: Challenging the Status Quo

Courtney Wright — Tue, 09 Apr 2024 14:28:31 +0000

John Cerasani has carved a unique path in the business world, marked by bold decisions and remarkable success. His journey is not just a story of financial triumph but a testament to the power of perspective and the courage to challenge the status quo.

At just 27 working in corporate America, John noticed a stark disparity between his contributions and his compensation. This moment of clarity propelled him to reevaluate his career trajectory and explore the realms of entrepreneurship.

And ever since then, John has redefined success on his own terms. He navigated the challenges of entrepreneurship with determination and strategic insight and today, is a source of inspiration and guidance for those looking to break free from the constraints of traditional employment.

Elizabeth Scott: Using Passion to Create Passive Income

Courtney Wright — Tue, 12 Mar 2024 13:00:50 +0000

Elizabeth Scott of Elizabeth Scott Design Group doesn’t just know design – she knows business, too. After creating her brand with custom home design, she started looking at ways she could branch out to build passive income. She combined her passion of design with a unique “rinse and repeat” model that is helping her business not just grow, but thrive. Listen in to this mini-episode for takeaways on how you can find new opportunities within your business and why it’s so important to have multiple income streams.

Trish Thomas & Nichole Wilson: Every Body Eat

Courtney Wright — Tue, 13 Feb 2024 14:00:43 +0000

Trish Thomas, a serial entrepreneur and 4x founder, is the Co-Founder and Chief Eating Officer of Whole & Free Foods. An early innovator, Trish founded and sold her first company four years after graduating from college. In the ‘90s, she built the first safe online community and a decade later had scaled transmedia entertainment properties to 100 countries in 65 languages. Trish has consulted on digital strategies for IBM, Dreamworks, Hasbro, Redbox, and Nissan to name a few. Trish pioneered a collegiate curriculm on how to improve the psychological resilience of founders as a means of improving start-up success rates. Currently, she is faculty teaching her entrepreneurship model at Northwestern University, and was the former Director of Entrepreneurship & Innovation at Lake Forest College. A food-loving, vibrant, connector of people, Trish is mom to six boys and is extraordinarily grateful when someone else makes dinner – especially if every body can eat it! Nichole Wilson, is the Co-Founder and President of Whole & Free Foods. Nichole knows how to build, scale, and manage triple bottom line teams. Previously, she lead the R&D strategic planning process for PepsiCo’s $33B food portfolio, crafted Frito-Lay’s first Environmental Sustainability Strategy, pioneered alliances between M&A and R&D to create platforms to invest in smaller companies, like Sabra and Spitz, and managed the top tier brands Doritos and Fritos. She began her career in investment banking, and most recently led the $40MM investment portfolio for Chicago Beyond. A mother of two, Nichole’s family has experience with dietary restrictions that she believes should not define them. Determined and unafraid of what others call “impossible,” she uses her super powers to find unexpected solutions to big problems worth solving. Every Body Eat® isn’t just a snack company, it’s a promise to create a world where everybody feels included.

Dana Rebecca Gordon: Sparkle and Scale the Family Business

Courtney Wright — Tue, 16 Jan 2024 14:00:35 +0000

On this episode we sit down with Dana (Rebecca) Gordon, third-generation jeweler who was born with diamonds in her DNA. She was raised in the industry, often spending hours behind the scenes at her father's factory. During the summer of her sixteenth birthday, she travelled to India with her father and returned home with her first collection. To her shock and delight, it sold out in 48 hours. Each summer thereafter, she continued designing and selling her pieces. Soon, this hobby began to turn into a passion. Dana did not initially set out to follow in her family's footsteps, but had her eyes set on law school. But in 2007, after graduating from the Gemological Institute of America in Carlsbad, California, she founded Dana Rebecca Designs. Wanting to create an accessible luxury fine jewelry brand, her business is built on the simple but important idea your jewelry should make you feel as comfortable as your favorite t-shirt and as amazing as your little black dress. Dana Rebecca Designs strives to create luxurious, everyday pieces women are excited to buy for themselves and gift to their loved ones. Listen in as we hear about her journey in the family business, how she sets her company apart, and why it’s important to be open and honest with your community.

Amy Riley: Developing Your Leadership Legacy

Courtney Wright — Tue, 19 Dec 2023 14:53:21 +0000

As a trusted leadership coach and consultant, today’s guest Amy Riley has worked with hundreds of leaders one-on-one, and thousands more as part of a group, to fully step into their leadership, create amazing teams and achieve extraordinary results. Amy is also an internationally renowned speaker, author and consultant. Her new book, “The Courage of a Leader: How to Inspire, Engage and Get Extraordinary Results”, is a #1 international best-seller. With over 2 decades of experience developing leaders at all levels, we are excited to have her share about authenticity, clarity, and the courage it takes to develop your leadership legacy.

Katie May: Balancing Fashion, Influencing, and Motherhood

Courtney Wright — Tue, 05 Dec 2023 14:00:52 +0000

Katie May, mom of three and a small business owner, deftly balances motherhood with creating fashion collections from her home. Her fashion journey began at 21 when she opened a clothing store in Madison, WI, where she honed her skills as a buyer, manager, and designer. After becoming a mother, Katie turned her creativity towards crafting clothes and pajama dresses for her daughters, which gained traction through her popular Instagram account. This natural growth into the realm of social media influencing led to the establishment of her online shop, where she enlisted a team of skilled sewers. In 2021, the arrival of Emmaline, alongside sisters Windsor and Arabella, became the driving force behind the rebranding of her venture to EWAMAY. The brand now emphasizes high-quality, sophisticated pieces, specializing in matching mommy + me collections, as well as custom hat making and leather belts, showcasing Katie's dedication to family and design. Listen in to hear Katie May’s entrepreneurial journey and how she’s handling the demands of fashion, influencing, and motherhood.

Alison Beitzel: Serving Up Fun as a Solopreneur

Courtney Wright — Tue, 21 Nov 2023 14:00:47 +0000

Alison “Babs” Beitzel’s path to entrepreneurship is a unique one – a former corporate world accountant, she made a hard pivot in retirement to pursue a creative passion of hers. Having always enjoyed entertaining friends and family, Babs began to make charcuterie boards as a fun way to fill time. She quickly learned that her unique and creative style boards were a big hit in the North Shore area of Chicago, and so she began to build off word of mouth and presence on social media. Saying YES and learning as she went, Babs Boards is now 2 years old and expanding not only into custom charcuterie boards, but also grazing tables and local charcuterie classes as well. A teacher at heart, Babs is excited to continue to offer new classes and find ways to level-up entertaining. Listen in as we hear how Babs got started, what she’s learned, and how she’s turning something she truly enjoys into a profitable solopreneurship business.

Sarah Somers: Designing For Success in a Niche Market

Courtney Wright — Tue, 07 Nov 2023 14:00:57 +0000

When you’re an entrepreneur in a very niche market, how do you take on big competitors like Hermès? A scarf lover from early on, today’s guest Sarah Somers recognized that it had become challenging to find beautifully designed, high-quality silk scarves. Coming from a background of private equity and raising capital, the world of retail and women’s accessories was, as she puts it, a “trial by fire”. But she took the leap, combining her passion and experience and transforming it to create her own company, Deseda. Using that business savvy, Sarah has deployed a variety of different revenue streams – online to wholesale to brick-and-mortar – to help build her brand recognition and awareness. Now, together with a team of talented creatives, Sarah continues to lead the process of transforming silk into wearable art. Sarah’s goal for Deseda is to be THE go-to for luxury designer scarves – and she’s well on her way. Listen in to this incredible story and discover how she turned this unique idea into a resounding success.

Kira Kessler: Taking a Family Business from Rock to Riches

Courtney Wright — Tue, 24 Oct 2023 14:01:36 +0000

From a struggling storefront to a rockin' revenue stream, today's guest Kira Kessler has transformed her family business - and she started when she was in high school.⁠ ⁠ Rock n' Rags was the brain-child of a entrepreneurial teenager who knew the business run by her parents had potential. But Kira also knew that the clients at their storefront were dwindling, so she seized on an opportunity to bring in a clothing line to attract new attention. Jumping in to Instagram and TikTok early, she started building an audience for their brand simply by being authentic - and it's that personal connection that has continued to set her business apart.⁠ ⁠ Listen in to hear how Kira Kessler took her family's legacy to the next level through passion, determination, and above all else - her love of fashion.

Laura White: Creating a Unique Experience for Customers

Courtney Wright — Tue, 26 Sep 2023 13:00:06 +0000

"The greatest story is how it all makes you feel once you step inside." As a store, Arch has been in existence since 2021, but founder Laura White has been sharing its philosophy of bringing the undeniably unique to the North Shore for years. In this episode we sit down with Laura to find out - how do you create a customer experience that makes them want to keep coming back? As a designer, botanical skin care line creator, seeker of vintage perfection and pop-up maven, she’s always been drawn to the natural world and beautiful things with a history and stunning patina. Arch just happens to be where it all lives together, along with Laura’s passion for careful curation that’s constantly changing and never the same way twice. Creating that special experience, both in her shop and online, is something she is passionate about. Listen in to hear what drove Laura to open a retail shop, how she carefully crafts her brand story, and what scaling such a unique business looks like.

Margaret Chaffee: Turning an Idea Into a Marketable Product

Courtney Wright — Tue, 12 Sep 2023 13:00:23 +0000

So you have a great idea for a new product – but what are the next steps? Today we dive in with Margaret Chaffee to talk about product design, rendering, manufacturing, and pricing – all essential considerations before your great idea ever hits the shelves. Margaret Chaffee is the owner of Chaffee Innovations, LLC, a company that aims to create products to reduce chaos, streamline efficiency, and make the parenting journey more pleasant. Prior to starting her own company, Margaret had a robust marketing career, most recently running communications (PR, social media and content) for Chef José Andrés, a Spanish chef and owner of ThinkFoodGroup, which operates over thirty restaurants worldwide. Margaret is based in Winnetka and is a mother of three, which allows her to leverage her vast experience of thinking, "there has to be a better way!" to design innovative new products.

Leslie Randolph: Building Confidence to Grow and Succeed

Courtney Wright — Tue, 29 Aug 2023 13:00:18 +0000

Leslie Randolph is in business to change the world – and that’s not just something she says, but something she is putting all her muscle behind through her business as a certified life coach. Since she was a young girl, Leslie wanted to make the world a better place and she is living that dream today as a self-confidence coach for teenage girls (and the teenage girl that still exists in all of us!). She knows that when we are loving and believing in ourselves, living intentional lives, and amplifying our gifts then we are ALL doing our part to change the world. Through her coaching as the Chief Wisdom Officer at The Coach Chronicles and as host of the inspirational podcast “Why Didn’t They Tell Us”, Leslie shares lessons she’s learned about self-worth, overcoming doubt, and how to positively change our mindsets about our own biggest critics – OURSELVES! Listen in to hear how Leslie made the leap into coaching, how she’s conquering her “Chapter 1” of entrepreneurship, and the importance of having confidence in yourself no matter what path you’re on.

Bela Gandhi: The Business of Love

Courtney Wright — Tue, 15 Aug 2023 13:58:55 +0000

Bela Gandhi is a dating/relationship expert, founder of Smart Dating Academy and has been featured on most national/local media outlets including Good Morning America, Steve Harvey, the Today Show, Kelly Clarkson, Access, ABC, NBC, Fox, and more. As she quickly climbed the corporate ladder, Gandhi had a feeling that her career would one day be taking a sharp turn in a different direction – because she discovered her love of matchmaking and providing dating advice. She launched her Smart Dating Academy in 2009. Smart Dating Academy has quickly become one of the nation's top date coaching firms - and teaches busy, successful professionals to jump start their dating lives successfully. Smart Dating Academy is described by its clients “like going to Harvard Business School, but for dating and relationships.” SDA’s coaches become personal trainers for their clients’ love lives – helping them to navigate the ever-changing world of online & in-person dating. The SDA coaching program is results-oriented and fun - which helps you to clarify who is right for you, stop old dating patterns, and use technology the RIGHT way. Clients become positive and enthusiastic about dating / relationships again and find love! Bela attends more weddings than she can count and she “loves love”. Listen in to hear how Bela Gandhi has made a business out of love by being bold, saying YES, and following her passion.

Building a Brand with Passion and Purpose

Courtney Wright — Tue, 01 Aug 2023 13:00:38 +0000

The transformation Morgan Chavis has gone through in the last 2 years is nothing short of inspiring. She knew she was being called to build her own brand, so much so that she even had employees and a brick-and-mortar store before she finally called it quits in Corporate America. Though Morgan’s formal studies landed her a career with first Target and then Amazon, her passion from childhood has been hair artistry and cosmetology. She started her first business, Lusso Salon, in 2019. Now a successful entrepreneur with multiple locations, e-commerce brand, a consulting agency, and even a published book under her belt, Morgan is looking ahead to expansion of her brand across the country. Her passion and tenacity and desire to help other entrepreneurs is obvious in everything she does – listen in to Morgan Chavis and hear how she embraced the challenges of starting her own business(es) and the lessons she’s learned along the way.

Bojana Ilic-Bojitt: Embracing Creativity and the ART of Business

Courtney Wright — Tue, 18 Jul 2023 08:00:29 +0000

Creativity is at the center of what she does – not just as an artist, but also in business. As Bojana Ilic-Bojitt explains, “We are all born creative. It doesn’t mean we all paint, we just find different mediums. Finding solutions is also creative.” BOJITT is Serbian-born and raised, Chicago based artist with a degree in clothing and textile design from DTM Belgrade, Serbia. Following a successful career in the fashion industry, she immigrated to the United States in 2007. She took all the “NO’S” as fuel for her fire, leaning on her grit, determination, and a passion to help clients visually articulate their vision and brand experience to create a name for herself. Her work can be found from coast-to-coast in the United States as well as internationally, in both public and private collections. BOJITT talks with Lady Boss to share how she uses her 20 years of combined experience in the industry to push herself, her art, and her business forward.

A Survivor’s Story & Journey of Reflection

Courtney Wright — Mon, 03 Jul 2023 13:03:49 +0000

Become a CEO of Your Own Health

Courtney Wright — Tue, 27 Jun 2023 08:00:35 +0000

From Corporate Lawyer to Waffle Maker

Courtney Wright — Tue, 13 Jun 2023 08:00:00 +0000

Follow Up: Lessons from a Luxury Build

Courtney Wright — Tue, 30 May 2023 14:13:38 +0000

Investing in Yourself and Your Brand

Courtney Wright — Tue, 02 May 2023 08:00:13 +0000

Navigating Business Through Divorce

Courtney Wright — Tue, 18 Apr 2023 08:00:45 +0000

The Woman Behind the Podcast

Courtney Wright — Tue, 04 Apr 2023 08:00:29 +0000

Advice From a Start-Up Business Lawyer

Courtney Wright — Tue, 21 Mar 2023 14:11:41 +0000