Traction Advisory’s Post

If you know me you will know I love a challenge. However, this one will certainly push me to hold myself accountable everyday for 30 days (and I am already behind on day 1 so here's to catching up and committing)! The wonderful Emmie Faust is hosting a 30 day Personal Branding Challenge for her Female Founders Rise cohort to educate, encourage and connect with ourselves, our brand, and our purpose, and to communicate and celebrate this on this platform. My (business) New Year's resolution was to be more active on here to support my founder journey during my fundraise, so what better a challenge to support on me this mission! Surprising although it may seem (as I do this for a living) I am not good at the personal branding stuff myself. I love nothing more than getting under someone else's belief, their purpose, their reason to exist and to extract it in a way that feels authentic to them and their business. But turn that on me and I freeze! Again, if you know me you probably wouldn't think I lack confidence, and you would be right in thinking I don't necessarily care what people think of me, so why does it feel so uncomfortable to broadcast my journey, my thoughts and my beliefs on here? On reflection I feel it is a mixture of time, and a strive for perfection. I can't just whack out a post and put it live, I have to write it, pause, reflect, edit, question, and come back to it, before it even has the chance to be seen (often never even making it live). So on writing this post I am going to firstly be more open and honest, and secondly be ok it it being a stream of thoughts, that sometimes might only make sense to myself, and essentially put myself out there to be commented on (let's face it, judged). Who knows, maybe it might reign true to someone? The journey of a female founder, in particular during a fundraise, is certainly an interesting one. Often lonely, scary, and edged with doubt, but also exhilarating, inspiring and challenging in all the best ways. So I am going to take the next 30 days to share some snippets of my journey, in the hope that it might interest, amuse, and maybe even inspire those reading. Feedback is welcome here (be ready for a lot of spelling mistakes!) - I've got my big girl pants on so hit me. Either way...This is me! #femalefounders #femaleentrepreneur #femaleempowerment #femalefoundersrise

For the past 6 or 7 months, I've been working with Lucienne Shakir (MEd) as part of The Academy. It's been absolutely transformational for my business, my mindset and my confidence as a whole. Not only have I been able to gain from the extensive wisdom that this fabulous lady has (and she has a LOT, believe me), I have also been able to work with the most incredible group of female founders who have taught me so much and have supported me in ways I would have never expected. All from a group of people who were complete strangers to me this time 6 months ago! 😊 I'm so grateful that I've had this support round me when I have needed it with the changes I have gone through in my business over recent months, but it would never have happened if it wasn't for me attending the Female Founders Summit in 2022. That rainy afternoon/evening in Manchester was worth it's weight in gold and there are things I took away from those sessions I still think about most days now 🦉 I know the early bird ticket sales for the Female Founders Summit this year are only available until tomorrow. But I promise you, if you're on the fence, just do it. It's not some icky networking event (you would never catch me at those out of choice, believe me 🤮) and it's in no way intimidating at all - there will be so many friendly faces there that are just strangers, waiting to become your business buddies and perhaps even some of your biggest supporters! #femalefounders #highperformance #businessgrowth #justdoit

Only 3 more weeks (ish) until The Female Founder Collective Chicago Fall Day event is happening at Chief Chicago. Megan Nufer and I have been organizing, plotting, planning, and curating Beyond the Startup: Scaling Journeys for Women Founders. We met at Chief Chicago today to see the space for the event and we can’t wait for you to join us next month. Watch the IG live we did to see the space for the event (link in comment). So who’s going to be speaking at the panel? 1. Monica Royer, Founder and CEO of Monica + Andy Monica + Andy is the children's and family brand that parents can rely on for the products, resources, and support needed to confidently navigate every stage of raising a family. 2. Mara Smith, Founder/CEO of Inspiro Tequila, LLC Mara always envisioned running her own company and in 2020 she set to create a new additive-free tequila brand. The goal was not only to craft impeccable tequilas, but it was also to bring more female perspectives to the spirits industry. 3. Lindsay Pinchuk, Entrepreneur Following her exit two years ago, Lindsay now uses her nearly 25 years of experience to help you take your brand to the next level with easy to execute, cost effective and proven strategies. In addition to working with businesses, both large and small, to build their brand and grow their bottom line, you can also find her behind the mic of her Top 1.5% twice weekly podcast for female founders, Dear FoundHer... Come spend the evening with us alongside insightful discussions on accessing funding, scaling operations, building strategic partnerships, and effective work compartmentalization. Plus, network with fellow women founders and hear experienced leaders in the industry. See you on Tuesday, October 22nd, 4:30-7pm. RSVP before all spots are taken, link in comment. Know someone who can benefit from this? Tag them or share this post with them. #WomenInBusiness #ScalingUp #FemaleFounders #EntrepreneurshipJourney #BusinessGrowth

Have you ever wondered if there’s more to life than your corporate job? At 48, I certainly did. The outlook on spending the next 20+ years in the same place didn’t bring me joy. I knew if I stayed, it would only get harder to make a change later. So, I went all in and started my entrepreneurial journey. Before you even think about transitioning from the corporate world to entrepreneurship, you need clarity on three things: Your What Your Why Your Who These are the essentials to build your business foundation, brick by brick. And the common denominator in all of them is YOU. This is why I believe women in midlife are the Entrepreneurial Superpowers. You've lived, experienced, and acquired decades of wisdom. Harnessing this power to start your own business, reflecting who you are now at this stage of your life, will bring you more fulfillment than you can imagine. As you embark on taking the first steps, you explore more of that YOU inside that allows you to break free from what no longer supports you and embrace what does. This is part of the magic of becoming an entrepreneur and starting a business you love for all the right reasons. If you've been feeling the nudge to explore life beyond the boardroom and love the idea of organizing your thoughts and creating something concrete, then this event is for you. 🌟 Join me for the MIDLIFE WOMEN on the Move VIP Day: Define Your Entrepreneurial Path on June 14th or 15th. 🌟. https://bit.ly/3x5DJdK Instead of spending months or years spinning your ideas around, walk away with clarity on your goals, a plan that excites you, and the confidence to choose your next step wisely, knowing why it's important to you. Click on the link 👇 to learn more and if it feels aligned, claim this time for you to make your next move. https://bit.ly/3x5DJdK See you at the event! #MidlifeWomen #EntrepreneurialJourney #CareerShift #DefineYourPath #VIPDay

Yesterday, the one and only Jane Slimming brought it home why I do what I do here on LinkedIn. I had the absolute pleasure of being in a room with so many wonderful and inspiring women for an event by Female Founders Rise on their 2nd trip to Leeds! Katherine Megson looked after us well, delicious lunch and drinks included. After a fireside with Emmie Faust and Joanna Jarjue (thanks for your insight and tangible advice!), Jane Slimming delivered a workshop on How to create a Marketing Strategy. To top it off, Zandra Moore shared the news about The Lifted Project to get more women on board(s). I learned a lot, felt reassured in a few things, and had one big lightbulb moment. You see, when we started The Biskery, we worked like donkeys. We didn't really know why, but we were too obsessed to stop to even question it. We just kept sculpturing in the dark (thanks for this beautiful metaphor Cecil Adjalo). My "obsession" with LinkedIn is similar. I post most days. I see ideas for LinkedIn posts everywhere. I am not 100% sure and what it leads to (or at least wasn't until today), but I can't stop. Jane brought it home. We can no longer just focus on direct response marketing (i.e. conversions). We need brand awareness to feed the funnel. This is what I am here for. To tell you about our brand. And to give you a glimpse into the humans and the story behind it. To share our why and how, and to hopefully turn you into ambassadors for our mission to spread kindness in biscuit form. Thanks to everyone involved to make today such a fantastic event, such a privilege to be in a room with you all! #Leedsbusiness #brandawareness #marketing

Crazy good! I am honored for making Inc's 2024 Female Founder 250 list. I never really feel comfortable with moments like this and accolades, mainly because I'm usually looking forward to what is left to be done (and I also still struggle with self-esteem). But on this one, I wanted to take a moment and shout out what I think is important about today. What have I learned? Why am I here? KEEP ON KEEPING ON! I've worked every day for 10 years building Outdoorsy and never given up to get to this point - that's my biggest message for all the entrepreneurs and young girls, or people out there trying to make it in their career, or build a business. What matters most is exactly that: resilience, perseverance. You have to learn your skills by paying attention to what you can learn - from ALL the mistakes and people that are better than you. In the first few months of starting Outdoorsy I coined a phase 'we never give up' (around the idea of a cricket which was a rallying cry for us to make it through the fund raising). But I never knew how pertinent it would be for me personally. FIND JOY IN THE HARD JOURNEY You gotta take all the hits (not as many as you 'can endure', but actually look forward to 'the ones to come' because you can consume them as knowledge), suffer through the hardships and failures, and then get right back up. You can give yourself some grace to take a day or two off during the pain to regroup but that's about it. Get back at it. As you grow you also learn how to find joy in the moment, in the every day achievements (it helps when you are doing purposeful work and thankfully that's also what being out in our properties is teaching me. What being around guests and in nature teaches me, a spirit of joy and thankfulness and contentment…) So do this, while looking to the horizon, and do not stop. I bet you’ll get here too. I am truly proud to be on this list. PAUSING TO GIVE THANKS Thank you to everyone I have learned from and the teams of people I’ve worked with. Especially my team today, they are amazing (and the best, and strongest we've ever been). This is a female recognition list and it's pretty remarkable to see how far and fast we have gone from once male dominated businesses to so many great female innovators and female-led business. I am in awe and inspired every day by the many mighty, kind and inspirational women I work with at Outdoorsy, in our Destination properties (California, Colorado, Texas) and across our Roamly insurtech business. RETREAT TO ADVANCE What a great day to enjoy! And especially on the heels of us just launching our Outdoorsy glamping retreat in Texas Hill Country where I moved onto property to open it. I'll be the backfill to the General Manager starting with my shifts 9am-6pm Wed-Sat, in case you want to find me. But we're open to public 24/7, so book a stay today! You wont regret it. Love Jen #inc #entrepreneurship #female #outdoorsy #OutdoorIndustry #innovation #technology #Future

Reflecting on a Productive Week Before Some Well-Deserved Family Time! As we wrap up another week, I'm taking a moment to celebrate some exciting achievements and milestones. It's been a whirlwind of activity this week, and I cant quite believe its over already! Here's a glimpse into what I've been up to: 💼 Taking Bold Steps Towards Growth This week, I made a big move by putting an offer in on a business. It's a thrilling step forward in my journey towards expansion and new opportunities. Fingers crossed for positive outcomes! 🤞 🌿 Planting Seeds of Growth Initiated the modeling process for a couple of rental businesses that are up for sale. Exciting times ahead, as I explore new ventures and opportunities in this market. 🤝 Building Local Connections at Connectin Expo I attended the Connectin Expo at my local Chamber of Commerce, connecting with fellow entrepreneurs, and exploring potential collaborations. The power of networking never fails to inspire! 💡 Gaining Insights on Estate Planning I joined an estate planning presentation in Shrewsbury, gaining valuable insights into securing the future for myself and my family. Knowledge is power, and I'm committed to making informed decisions every step of the way. 👩💼 Empowering Women in Business Had an empowering catch-up with a fellow female entrepreneur, sharing experiences, challenges, and triumphs. There's nothing quite like the support and camaraderie of like-minded women! 💬 Educating and Empowering Business Owners Engaged in a meaningful chat with a business owner contemplating selling his business. It was a chance to provide guidance and education, debunking myths and setting realistic expectations about business valuation. 🏖️ Time to Unplug and Recharge And now, it's time to bid farewell to the inbox and embrace a few days of rest and relaxation with the family in beautiful Harlech, Wales. 🌟 What's Your Highlight of the Week? As I sign off for some much-needed downtime, I'd love to hear about your achievements and moments of joy this week. Drop a comment below and let's celebrate each other's wins! Here's to an Easter holiday filled with rest, rejuvenation, and plenty of smiles. #AchievementUnlocked #FamilyTime #EntrepreneurialJourney #WeekendVibes #HarlechWales

The Finale You Don't Want to Miss! Celebrating Female Founders Month Mark your calendars! This Wednesday, May 29th, we're wrapping up the Celebrating Female Founders Month series with a bang! I'm delighted to be joined by the amazing Ms. Crisha Bowen, a motivational speaker, author, entrepreneur, and the powerhouse host of the Purpose for Profit Conference. ️ Here's what you can expect: -Discover how to transform your challenges into a driving force for your business. -Learn how to turn your purpose into a thriving online business. -Learn how to leverage your existing skills to build a successful online presence. -Gain insights on dominating social media and connecting with your ideal audience. And that's not all! We'll be sharing more actionable strategies for building a purposeful and profitable online course. Don't miss this incredible opportunity! Stay tuned for more details. #inspire #transform #purposedriven #purposeforprofit

'Not everyone would do this Nonie.' That’s what a mentor said to me many years ago at the beginning of my entrepreneurial journey. I had 15 minutes 1:1 with her on a retreat. My self-belief was wobbly. I was panicking about pressing go on launching the tech platform I'd been building for what felt like forever. At the time I wasn't sure I entirely understood her meaning, but I found her words calming and reassuring nonetheless. I have thought about them many times afterwards. Not everyone has what it takes to be a founder. It's not *for* everyone. But I was having a go at trying to create something audacious - and that said something. * * * * * * * * * Over the past few months my wonderful collaborator, Yvonne Biggins and I, have interviewed almost 30 female founders at different stages of their journey, for market research. This week we got together to reflect on our findings so far. Market research findings aside, here's what we concluded: ✨ Female founders are mightily impressive beings. ✨ Being a female founder is not for everyone. You're functioning in an inhospitable environment, with all odds against you. You're trying your best to juggle a million competing demands, and not burn out. A common refrain is that female founders feel stressed, overwhelmed and largely look after everything and everyone else, over themselves, but even so - do you know what - they all came across as incredibly: ➡ Robust 🔥 ➡ Resilient 🔥 ➡ Resourceful 🔥 ➡ Full of hope & optimism 🔥 ➡ Full of drive & determination 🔥 Female founders are just very, very cool humans. I can't think of anyone else I'd like to spend my life being inspired by, supporting and working with. #femalefounders I salute you all. Happy Friday. I hope you appreciate how brilliant you are and everything you're achieving every single day. ❤️❤️❤️ #femaleentrepreneurs #femalefoundersrise Video below: Throwback to January's Female Founders Rise Female Founders Raise event at Google ❤️

I am going to feature more women for #WomensHistoryMonth - these are women in the spirits industry that I either recently connected with or who provide guidance for me. Gabriela Lawrence co-founder of Doce Mezcal and I recently had the pleasure of meeting her co-founders Gabriela Arce and Mia Tonelli in Chicago for the Sprout Accelerator. Gabriela and I could talk for hours. There is so much to learn from each other. It’s so great to bounce ideas off of another founder in the industry and I appreciate their thoughtful approach to growing. I can’t wait to see them back in Chicago for the final pitch competition. Taylor Foxman. Thank you for putting together a new Women in Beverage group. We all needed to be connected and you are the catalyst to do that. I’m excited to see how we can work together to elevate women in beverage together. Alix Peabody founder of Bev. There are not many opportunities to talk to women who have successfully built businesses in the spirits industry and exited to a strategic (and frankly there are not that many women who have done that). I wish I could download everything in Alix’s brain into mine.  She is a wealth of information. I am so appreciative that she took the time to meet with me. Katharine Jerkens from Uncle Nearest, Inc. People often ask founders about mentors and it’s really hard to find the right people. It also feels like imposing on them by asking them to mentor you. I applied for Drizly, an Uber Company’s first accelerator for underrepresented founders and the absolute best thing to come out of participating was being matched with Kate as my mentor. I feel like I have a sounding board to pass ideas by who really knows everything about growing a successful spirits brand. She’s seen it all! I cannot express how appreciative I am that someone with such a crazy schedule, takes time every month to talk to me. Note to founders: since I know how limited Kate’s time is I try to come prepared with specific questions or problems I’m facing. So grateful to have your guidance, Kate!  Rachel Roberts formerly at Beam Suntory. I hit the jackpot meeting Rachel. It’s the story I tell whenever people ask whether or not it’s worth going to another event. I went to a small event for women angel investors in Chicago being held at a local boutique. I of course said I wanted to come and that I’d serve cocktails. How fortuitous that a woman comes up, tries @inspirotequila, loves it, and starts asking me a lot of questions. I then learned she has been in the spirits industry for a very long time. We immediately hit it off and I knew I wanted her to be part of my advisory board. She was the missing piece I was looking for. I am so grateful for your guidance Rachel! #womensupportingwomen #womeninspirits #femalefounders