Jennifer Dawn is the founder of Jennifer Dawn Coaching and the creator of the Best Planner Ever. She began her entrepreneurial career selling apples off her grandfather’s tree because a lemonade stand was so “yesterday”. Jennifer is a serial entrepreneur who has grown two multi-million-dollar businesses and is a successful speaker and author.
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Photos courtesy of Becca Schepps.
After growing up swimming, jumping out of half-built houses onto dirt piles, ducking from soccer balls and playing backyard spud, Becca Schepps graduated to becoming a Cat 1/2 crit racer and co-owner of the team LA Sweat, a women's cycling team equally dedicated to femininity and badassery. So, when she was diagnosed as a Type 1 Diabetic she was a bit shocked and started searching for a re-hydrating solution after races that wouldn’t wobble her insulin levels. Cut to finding kombucha, falling in love with it, and using herself as a guinea pig in an experiment that involved 16 bottles and NO post-drink insulin injection. Just a few short years later, the full-time creative director and ad copywriter are selling her creation, Mortal Kombucha, in stores throughout Boulder, Colorado, and even all the way up in Oregon and Washington.
Can you tell our readers about your background?
My background is what happens when you’re super curious and a tad bit obsessive. I honed the professional side of myself working as a creative director/copywriter in advertising. Simultaneously, I was always very into competitive sports with a splash of group fitness. I raced road and cyclocross as a Cat 1, and I rowed crew at UW-Madison. Plus, I love any kind of HIIT class where you aren’t supposed to compete, but come on, of course you do. Orangetheory? Shred45? Crossfit? Peloton? Sign me up.
What inspired you to start your business?
I worked as an advertising Creative Director on a lot of CPG brands. And everyone wants to claim “good-for-you”. I was working for an agency to get the packaging dialed in for a new brand trying to make this claim and we could not get wording past their legal team. I was holding a kombucha in my hand at the time and thought, “this thing is good for me, how does it say it?” And that's when I saw that this drink said in its ingredients that it was made with 100% purified love. I think it had been the countless iterations, plus working late hours, but I immediately launched into how I was going to start a kombucha company with NO LOVE. Then I made Mortal Kombat, Mortal Kombucha jokes. And from there - I made a website, mocked up some fake products and started making silly punny posts on social media
Where is your business based?
We are based out of Boulder, Colorado.
How did you start your business? What were the first steps you took?
I “started” my business before it was a business. It started with a pun and me making a website to house what I believed was a hilarious joke. From there I made funny names for products -- all laddering up to my AGGRESSIVE kombucha company. Once people started buying the kombucha, that's when I realized - uh oh, I guess I should figure out how to make kombucha. I immediately went to a beer supply store in town and asked them how to make kombucha, and from there just said yes a lot. I fell forward and asked a lot of questions, and always tried to find solutions rather than marinate in problems.
What has been the most effective way of raising awareness for your business?
Stores. Doors. And social media partnerships. The most important thing has been making sure we can surround and penetrate an area, and then finding ways to amplify areas that we have a deep saturation in and drive people to the stores. There’s definitely a cart and horse situation for us and oftentimes we’ve done one before the other.
What have been your biggest challenges and how did you overcome them?
Our biggest challenge is always growth and scaling. We’re always trying to figure out what systems, processes, people and products we need to create, do and hire to get to that next level. The most challenging thing for me as the CEO is existing where we are now as a company - putting in the work in the present and waiting… while also being laser focused on the future and knowing we need to be a rocketship, constantly transforming and adapting to get there. I don’t know if you can solve this. I’m constantly talking to my mentors trying to gather as many experiences and anecdotes as possible. I ask my mentors everything, even dumb stuff.
How do you stay focused?
Squirrel.
How do you differentiate your business from the competition?
We create beverages that fight death. We have a different tone and look when it comes to the longevity/health and wellness space. It's a bit harder, a bit more fun, and doesn’t take itself too seriously. We want to make healthy as fun as the unhealthy brands do.
What has been your most effective marketing strategy to grow your business?
Sales. My sales guy is gonna love this.
What's your best piece of advice for aspiring and new entrepreneurs?
Be curious - you never know where you’ll find inspiration or a solution to a problem you don’t know you have yet.
What's your favorite app, blog, and book? Why?
I’m definitely a tiktok fan. I love laughing. My favorite book is called The Art of Looking Sideways.
What's your favorite business tool or resource? Why?
LinkedIn. Is that lame? But it’s the easiest way to discover new interesting people who you can help or may help you on your journey.
Who is your business role model? Why?
Kris Jenner. I think the people who love her will understand and the people who hate her won’t read this. So I’ll leave it at that.
How do you balance work and life?
All at once. I’m a new mom, and a CEO and can’t keep my hands out of other projects I want to have an opinion on. It’s a lot, but I love working and creating things out of nothing.
What’s your favorite way to decompress?
BravoTV, naps and exercise. Maybe all at once.
What do you have planned for the next six months?
Grow. Grow. Grow. Grow. Grow.
How can our readers connect with you?
On social media I’m @bescka, or they can hop over to mortalkombucha.com to meet me and the booch.
Image Credit: (IG) @felixthemua
Antoinette Genevieve Williams talks about life, art, and how it feels to be a blasian woman in a time of upheaval.
Can you tell our readers about your background?
I grew up in the suburbs of Las Vegas, in Henderson, NV with my mother and two older sisters. It was actually my middle sister that took me to my first museum exhibition. The show was a retrospective of Dale Chihuly’s work and a video installation by Jennifer Steinkamp. It was an exceptional experience and altered the way I had always consumed and interacted with art.
What inspired you to start your business?
I officially started the company in 2016 and
registered an LLC in 2017. At the time I had worked with a few online galleries and felt that the offerings were limited. I knew that there was another option for people to connect and appreciate art, but also that there were unexplored options that were already being implemented and utilized by architects, graphic designers, and artists. At that moment I decided that even if I couldn’t make a true online gallery work, I was willing to see how far I could go.
Where is your business based?
The business is based in San Diego, but I am currently in Copenhagen. I hope to maintain a global perspective as we grow since my practice has always been focused on global dialogue. We already represent artists based in the US, EU, and Australia.
How did you start your business? What were the first steps you took?
I started the gallery with an exhibition. It wasn’t official and I hadn’t invested in branding, a website, or a means to start a real business or company. At the time, it was very much an idealistic vision of what an online gallery could be. Since then I have been pushing the boundaries regarding what an online gallery does, how they represent artists, and where we can offer some opportunities for emerging artists.
What have been your biggest challenges and how did you overcome them?
It was very hard to get everything on track, and we are still trying to find a way to get funding to complete the virtual gallery. I had envisioned the somewhat “common” digital galleries in 2016 / 2017 and have since tried to find a way to fund the company and get the model built without VC funding. I worked closely with the SBA in late 2017 / 2018 and was told I had qualified for a CDC small business loan (through SBA) and should have no major issues. Unfortunately when everything was finalized I did not qualify as my personal credit score was 3 points shy of their requirements - the inquiry alone ended up hurting my credit score by 30+ points. This was especially disheartening when I read more about it and realized that this is not uncommon for women-run enterprises, and is also backed up by the stats. Actually, it is more disturbing to me that female-owned companies in both the US and UK are severely underfunded despite representing more than 40% of small business (figures vary) in both nations ((https://www.computerworld.com/article/3584734/minority-tech-startups-in-the-us-have-seen-almost-no-progress-in-vc-funding.html) / https://www.british-business-bank.co.uk/uk-vc-female-founders-report/
This figure is even worse for women of color, who tend to receive about 2.4-2.6% of VC funding. The US Small Business Association recently had a survey which showed that of the 14% of businesses which chose to identify race in their loan application, Black-owned businesses received 1.9% of loans while White-owned businesses received 83%. So in essence I was fighting to gain access in an industry that did not represent me well, and a small business association funded by the government that wasn’t made to support me. I should also note that I identify as mixed-race (Chinese, Taiwanese) & African American) on most of my documents, but was recently informed that they will classify you into (1) ethnic category when qualifying you for SBA loans.
After the many trials struggling to find a way to get funding or support, or guidance/mentorship, I realized that the only way forward was through my own dedicated efforts. It was in late 2019 that I ended up finding a gallery in DTLA that invited me to be a guest curator. Then 2020 hit and I had to reevaluate everything again. I’m happy to announce that the gallery is now on its way to launching an app this summer and we have found other avenues to continue creating a space for all people.
Every show I have tried to execute was always a small effort and it was always tricky to find a way to find a space. I hope that in the near future we can find a way to secure consistent collectors or funding that will allow us to continue focusing on what we set out to do from the initiation of Apotheosis.
How do you stay focused?
Staying focused is hard. It is even harder for entrepreneurs that have to work full time and still find a way to push their business idea. I find that the best way to keep myself motivated, balanced, and calm is by meditating daily, eating yummy food (not always healthy), and reminding myself of the why? Everyone’s “why” will be different, but I know that my purpose is to tear down boundaries, and limiting belief systems, while still making sure that I am providing all I can to artists that I work with. It isn’t always easy to remind yourself that the fight is worth the potential victory, especially as a founder or entrepreneur without a team. However, I know that regardless of what happens in the future I can look back and be proud of the efforts and work that has been done thus far. Having friends or someone to support you never hurts either, so if you have a friend that has started a side-gig, small business, or something in that vein, support them! The best thing you can do for them is to remind them that they are working toward something that is worthwhile, even when they forget that themselves.
How do you differentiate your business from the competition?
I am not sure if we are so different from our competition, and I am not certain why we all have to be. There is a certain level of regionalism that occurs in art collecting at the lower price tier, but there is always room for varying perspectives. In my opinion, there is no way the world would work with just 10 or 15 big-name galleries. Real art happens in the spaces in between. The best art just happens. If we push our spaces and institutions in a certain direction, that will inevitably influence the young, emerging artists that need to find their way through their practice and experimentation. There is no other way for an artist to become great - despite what you have been taught.
Photo Credit: Alexander Nikolov
Iliya Valchanov is a co-founder of 3veta.com, an end-to-end solution for hosting online meetings and getting paid. He is also a co-founder of 365 Data Science and a data science instructor on Udemy with more than 800,000 students.
Can you tell our readers about your background?
My name is Iliya Valchanov and am a co-founder of 3veta. Going a bit back - I was a Mathematics competitor for 10 years. Later on, I graduated with International Management, Economics, and Finance. Despite that, I was always fascinated with teaching so I co-founded 365 Data Science and became a data science instructor on Udemy with more than 900,000 students to date.
What inspired you to start your business?
The first time around, I joined a couple of friends in their efforts to create online courses. I was taking a gap year, so it made sense for me to take a risk and try my luck. It worked quite well, and we scaled the company from 4 people to 30 people.
The second time around, with my current project, 3veta, I was already an experienced business owner. Therefore, it was much easier to make the decision. We just had a very, very good idea and decided to pursue it.
Where is your business based?
Our business is registered and based in Sofia, Bulgaria. However, with the current situation (relating to the coronavirus pandemic of 2020), more than half of our team is not actually there at all. Together with the fact that we are a completely online business, our physical location has become irrelevant – a lifelong dream of mine.
How did you start your business? What were the first steps you took?
The very first step was to create a series of sessions in which we could really talk the idea through. We called it a boot camp.
During our first bootcamp, the concept changed a hundred times within the span of a few days. However, by the end of it, we had a very clear idea of what we wanted to achieve.
Every six months, we get together for another boot camp where we can decide the next steps of our business.
What has been the most effective way of raising awareness for your business?
Our business empowers service providers to get online and start providing their consultations online.
As such, LinkedIn has been by far the best place for us to find our target audience and raise awareness.
What have been your biggest challenges, and how did you overcome them?
Being a business owner is an eternal challenge.
Historically, the biggest challenges I’ve faced were due to overly optimistic goals. I believe that anything could be achieved with enough passion and perseverance (grit), but time is not always on our side. Actually, it is always against us.
Therefore, my nemesis has always been time. I want everything to happen today, if not yesterday.
To overcome this challenge, sadly, I have learned to be patient.
How do you stay focused?
Usually, I do all my mental-heavy work in the morning and early afternoon. Once my mind becomes exhausted, I start pulling “mindless” tasks from the backlog (e.g. post an article, schedule a post, format some Excel spreadsheet, etc.). I don’t need to be too focused for those, especially because I have many checklists.
If my mind clears up, I reengage in the demanding tasks.
How do you differentiate your business from the competition?
3veta is fast, reliable, and extremely easy to use. And this is what our customers want.
Ultimately, we have been striving to achieve the lowest number of clicks from sign-up to getting paid (similar to what Revolut did in the Fintech world). 3veta is simply made for online video consultations in 2021. We haven’t used tech from an older product that was later refurbished – no, we are utilizing state-of-the-art technologies. Moreover, when it comes to video, we haven’t simply added “an option to integrate with Zoom”.
Instead, we have optimized any and all parts of the product – with less choice, there is more actual work done on the provider’s part.
Finally – our team. Given a good product and decent funding, having the right people on that team is the only thing that makes the difference between success and failure. We are the five co-founders with very different skillsets, but with one common goal: to make an extremely successful product.
What has been your most effective marketing strategy to grow your business?
We have also automated almost any process that could be automated. Most prominently – email marketing, content dissemination (e.g. you post a new article and it gets promoted on all of your social media or even other places), auto-replying chatbots, etc. I am pretty sure that these will be the most effective strategies long-term.
Certainly, there are some channels that are better than others for each company. With 3veta, we know that all of our providers are professionals, so LinkedIn is our most natural match. So that was our most effective strategy so far.
What's your best piece of advice for aspiring and new entrepreneurs?
You can achieve everything you want, as long as you fully devote yourself to it.
Five years ago, I was a Finance graduate with a Mathematics background. Since then, I have hardly used Math or the Finance that I studied. However, I can code, create machine learning algorithms, edit videos, write compelling articles, manage people and projects, run ads, and much more.
Everything I have accomplished has been possible because I have never assumed that I cannot do something, without trying.
Stay open to learning and never underestimate your abilities!
What's your favorite app, blog, and book? Why?
App: The Slack mobile app has really changed the way I work from my phone. Therefore, it is on top of my list.
Blog: The one blog I’m devouring lately is Li Jin’s Substack, focusing on the passion economy and how creators are being empowered to make a living from their passion.
Book: There is no single book that can make this list. However, ‘Winter of the World’ from the Century Trilogy by Ken Follett. Why? It’s just a really good book. Reading Ken Follett helps you understand why some people are great writers and others are just… writers.
What's your favorite business tool or resource? Why?
Trello.
I have tried out a dozen different tools to organize my work (Asana, Jira, Monday.com, etc.).
Most of the time, Trello is all that one needs.
So simple, yet so powerful.
If every tool online was like Trello, we would have a perfect world.
Who is your business role model? Why?
I haven’t found a single person that I can call a business role model. I try to internalize as much as possible from different business leaders.
Steve Jobs versus Bill Gates has always been the most intriguing of clashes to me. I like both of them (and dislike both of them). So, the best of these men would be my business role model.
How do you balance work and life?
This one is the easiest. I started working with my sister and wife. Therefore, I no longer have to balance work and life.
What’s your favorite way to decompress?
Being in a sensory deprivation capsule (flotation pod) is one of my favorites. It is a capsule that you enter naked, you float on top of the water (with a lot of salt) that is the same temperature as your body; it is completely dark; there is no sound. Being in such a pod for an hour or more helps you really get rid of the noise in your life and focus on your inner self.
What do you have planned for the next six months?
I have decided to start a multi-media approach to both the company brand and my personal brand. As such, I am starting a podcast (audio), a LinkedIn series (video), and a Substack (text). I believe that this approach is not only great for our marketing efforts but also a great way to challenge myself in different formats.
How can our readers connect with you?
The best way to find me is on my LinkedIn account[IV1]. However, if you feel like reading, my newsletter will be more appropriate.[IV2]
If you are interested in providing online services, then 3veta [IV3] is the place to be.
As a New York native, Kara Freedman has a keen eye for trends and emerging markets, as she has spent the last seven years working with, and marketing, top hotels, cruise lines, and food & beverage outlets. Kara has developed and promoted unique and successful culinary experiences on behalf of chefs, restaurants, and hotels. With her previous experience and passion for food that makes you feel good, Kara launched Baked by Nature in March of 2020.
Can you tell our readers about your background?
I have a Public Relations background! I started my career representing hotels, restaurants, and others in the hospitality space on the agency side. In 2016, I moved in-house to a hotel company and then moved over to Hilton in 2017. I have always had a passion for wellness and food, as well as an entrepreneurial spirit. My biggest joy and happiest memories always involve hosting friends and family, cooking and baking for them, and enjoying laughs around the dinner table.
What inspired you to start your business?
Baked by Nature is inspired by an incredible WWII Veteran, my grandfather! After escaping the Holocaust and fleeing to America, my grandfather was drafted by the US Army to fight in WWII – where he was injured and received a Purple Heart. My grandfather died in August of 2019 at 99 years old, but always placed an emphasis on wellness, and as an entrepreneur himself, inspired me to start Baked by Nature.
Where is your business based?
Baked by Nature is based in New York City.
How did you start your business? What were the first steps you took?
I started Baked by Nature in March of 2020. I began by first registering Baked by Nature as an S Corp and secured insurance. From there, I applied and received my home processing license. Once all of these legal items, among a few others, were in order, I built a website. With my recipe perfected, I began selling online. In addition, I applied and was approved as a vendor at Down to Earth Farmers Market – Rye.
One additional positive outcome about starting a business during this time is that I was able to launch by giving back. I committed to donating 1000 of my oat-bites to the frontline and healthcare workers at New York hospitals. We also had a “purchase a bag as a donation” – option. I donated to White Plains Hospital in Westchester County and NYU hospital here in the City. This allowed me to get the word out and share that Baked by Nature existed.
What has been the most effective way of raising awareness for your business?
Having Baked by Nature at Farmers Markets is key to raising awareness for the business, and I would say the most effective way. It is important to connect with customers, receive feedback, and understand how Oat Bites fit into their lives. As I learn more and more about my customers, I am able to convert them to repeat buyers online, as well as market our products in a way that makes sense to our buyers.
What have been your biggest challenges and how did you overcome them?
I would say my biggest challenge currently is connecting with people during the pandemic. I would love to give customers samples of new flavors and ask for real-time feedback, but this is not permitted with pandemic market regulations.
How do you differentiate your business from the competition?
Baked by Nature Oat Bites have six ingredients or less in each Bite. Most “healthy” food companies produce products with ingredients that you cannot pronounce (and would not want to ingest). We offer a light and small, natural option that is perfect for breakfast, post-workout snack, or quick treat.
What has been your most effective marketing strategy to grow your business?
Being present at Farmer’s Markets has been my most valuable marketing strategy. Being able to explain what Baked by Nature is and more about our Oat Bites is an invaluable marketing tactic.
What's your best piece of advice for aspiring and new entrepreneurs?
Just start. It will never be perfect in the beginning, you will never have the best of everything, but you won’t be able to strive for any of that until you start. So just start!
What's your favorite app, blog, and book? Why?
My app is Good Reads. I love learning about what others are reading and finding new books that are of interest. My favorite blog is Women on Business – the name speaks for itself. I have so many favorite books, but one of my favorite cook books is Eat Beautiful by Wendy Rowe. I love learning about why food is good for you, and not only does Wendy do that, she also shares the best ways to make those delicious ingredients into spectacular meals.
What's your favorite business tool or resource? Why?
I had a professional contact refer me to SCORE. Her husband was a former mentor and she raved about the free offerings SCORE can provide.
SCORE is filled with business leaders who volunteer their time as mentors and my mentors are some of the most inspiring women I have ever met, and often make me think differently. My mentors have also created a food processing forum, where they organize monthly meetings, which feature a guest speaker! The forum also gives me the opportunity to connect with other SCORE mentees, which is invaluable.
Who is your business role model? Why?
My grandfather is my business role model. After fleeing to a country where he didn’t even speak the language, he started a business. I think about how much he had to overcome to provide for his family and it inspired me to move forward. He will always be someone I look up to and a true hero in my eyes.
How do you balance work and life?
I still have a 9-5, and work my primary job every day between 9am – 5:30pm (and some days until 6 or 7pm). After that, I dedicate two to four hours a night working on Baked by Nature. I spend a few to 10 hours a weekend working on the business (depending on the weekend).
I find the best way to balance both jobs, with my personal life, is to take a night off from Baked by Nature when I need to; I listen to my body and mind and when I need a break, I take one, so I’m rejuvenated and can dedicate more time on Baked by Nature the next day.
I would pass along the advice Barbara Corcoran touts on Shark Tank and on her podcasts – keep your 9-5 as long as you can!
What’s your favorite way to decompress?
My favorite way to decompress is meditating. Over the summer, I started spending 10 minutes each morning meditating and love the way my body and mind respond to it. I find the best way to calm down, de-stress and relax, is to steal 10 minutes from my business day and just breath.
What do you have planned for the next six months?
I will be participating in the Down to Earth Morningside Park Farmer’s Market on select dates from January – May. I will also be updating my packaging and look forward to showcasing the new look.
How can our readers connect with you?
Readers can connect with me on Instagram @bakedbynature_ or by sending me an email at hello@bakedbynaturefood.com.
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