Spotlight: Female Business Owners Who Prove Taking A Risk, Equals Success
By Fiona McDonnell
Women’s history month serves as a reminder of just how far we’ve come as a gender. It gives us a chance to celebrate the incredible women in our lives, and honor the ones who brought us to where we are now. And most of all, it serves as a reflection point: a time to celebrate how far women as a gender have come, while also acknowledging how far we still need to go. This month is also a perfect opportunity to shine a spotlight on some of the incredible women that continue to show the world how powerful they really are!
In honor of women’s history month, I had the amazing opportunity to speak with five female small business owners. I heard about their backgrounds, their companies, and what motivated them to start a business. It was truly inspiring to hear their tales of strength, perseverance, and especially with everything that has been going on within the past year, their dedication. They’re committed to creating spaces that not only benefit the community as a whole, but that show girls there is no limit to what women can do!
Julie Dermer - PULSE by Julie D.
Covid has created a drastic shift in daily life. For Julie Dermer, a strong driven SoulCycle instructor, this was especially true. After having been an instructor for over a decade, Julie was suddenly left without a way to connect with her community of riders. Her strong desire to reconnect with them inspired her to create a program called PULSE on her Instagram. Beginning on March 18, 2020, PULSE evolved into a membership-based fitness and wellness program, and has become a haven for those looking for fun workouts that not only benefit the body, but also the mind.
Q & A with Julie Dermer
What has been your biggest gain from starting PULSE by JulieD during the pandemic?
When SoulCycle closed its doors in March due to the pandemic, I, like many, felt the loss of my feel-good community. For over a decade, Soul had been our go-to space when times get tough: a place of refuge, energy and strength. Forced to separate from my riders, I questioned how I could be by my pack's side at a time we needed each other most. I soon discovered positive mental and physical energy can be felt anywhere, over any medium. I began going live on Instagram daily, and PULSE was born. Without access to equipment, such as a bike, I created a series of challenging dance, aerobic, Pilates, and yoga inspired movements set to the beat of the energetic playlists we were used to rocking out to. In July, after four months of teaching PULSE virtually, I turned PULSE by JulieD into a real deal business, registered as an LLC, and began thinking about membership plans for the PULSERS. Today we are over 250 members strong and growing. What I've gained most is a new sense of confidence and purpose. From the beginning I followed my heart and just let my intention guide me towards what felt right, good and real. I'm so grateful for all the PULSERS who decided to take the journey with me. Because they continued to show up, we were able to build something so special and organic together, and we're still evolving. PULSE is definitely a surprise silver lining of such a crazy year.
What are your top goals for Pulse in 2021?
I'm excited for deeper engagement with my current and growing PULSE community! Starting in April, I'll be teaching PULSE LIVE in the Hamptons at Topping Rose, as well as extending my virtual offerings on pulsebyjulied.com. I am excited to expand our fierce PULSE community—particularly to those who may not have ordinarily enjoyed working out in the past.
What can potential Pulse members expect to gain or achieve from your fitness program, that other fitness programs cannot?
Fitness instruction can be found so easily today. Go to YouTube and search "flat abs" and you'll have a ton of options. PULSE brings a different level of engagement. As a SoulCycle instructor for almost 10 years, I've always shared my space by sharing me, leading by being right alongside my pack, sharing the struggle, taking risks, and being honest. With PULSE, I'm committed to keeping that same energy and togetherness, even virtually. Ninety percent of any workout is showing up; because we are in it together, there's a different level of motivation. Physically, the PULSE moves, while challenging, also create a sense of strength and space that feels good to the body. PULSERS often tell me they "crave" PULSE. I couldn't agree more! From squats to jumping jacks, crunches, push-ups, downward dog, it's all just so challenging, restorative and rewarding.
You can find more information at pulsebyjulied.com or on Instagram @juliedsoul.
Claire Oring - Oui Create
Claire Oring, founder of Oui Create
Running a creative studio is nothing new for Claire Oring. After graduating with a BFA in Animation from Otis College of Art and Design, Claire accumulated over ten years of experience. Initially running a previous studio that was owned by The New York Times, she then worked as a stop-motion animator. She later decided to create her own creative studio . Her company works with all types of brands to create content, although they primarily focus on stop motion animation. She’s recently expanded to teaching stop motion animation for commercial clients and is excited to help shape the next generation of young people in an exciting field that not too many know about.
Q & A with Claire Oring
What made you select Stop Motion Animation as your creative niche? What advantages does this creative marketing option provide to clients, that other forms of advertising may not?
I graduated with a BFA in animation from Otis College of Art and Design in 2011. After leaving school, I pursued a commercial photography and art direction career. I ended up landing an amazing role leading a creative studio owned by The New York Times, where I was both managing projects and creating content for our clients. One day our CEO showed me a stop motion online and said, “Can you do this?” I had made a few in my college days, and my photo skills had developed dramatically, so I was able to figure it out pretty quickly. I made a few mock projects for our portfolio, and we quickly landed a stop motion campaign for FedEx which I created in our office. From there, the studio continued to sell stop motion I would produce for our clients. I decided to leave that position after 4 years and start my own creative studio here in LA called Oui Create. We produce strategic content for brands around the world! We’ve found stop motion to be a highly engaging and profitable niche that clients love. It really blows static content out of the water. Stop motion captures attention and audiences naturally slow their scroll as these eye-catching, magical scenes come to life.
What would you suggest is a great way to start learning Stop Animation Techniques?
To be honest, there’s not a ton of great content out on the market yet. You can piece together YouTube tutorials that teach technique but don’t consider commercial clients. It’s a lot of trial and error and guesswork when getting started. There’s definitely a hole in the market for a really cohesive spot to learn branded commercial stop motion. So about seven months ago I started creating a course that will fill that gap! It will be coming out in the next few months. The topics include teaching my students how to create strategic ads for their client’s target audience, advanced stop motion techniques that look like true magic tricks, how to attract and pitch to clients and manage them through projects, and even build a portfolio along the way. I can’t wait to share more soon! If you’re interested, sign up for the waitlist here . I also created a simple video tutorial for photographers starting with stop motion from scratch. If you want to learn the basics, download your beginner stop motion guide here !
What is the one lesson you've learned throughout your creative business, that has helped you succeed the most?
My biggest lesson thus far has been to listen to my gut and make changes if something feels off. You really need to be your own advocate, especially if you don’t work for yourself. I’m an A-type who finds a lot of joy and purpose in my work, so when I’m excited about something I go all in. When I left my agency job two years ago, I was truly and deeply burnt out. I’ll always be grateful for my team and how much I learned during my time there, but I was struggling. In my last few months, the studio had grown so much that I was juggling thirteen 6-7 figure projects at once. I could barely sleep at night because I was constantly ruminating over the next steps for each project, always worried I was going to accidentally let something slip through the cracks. Luckily that didn’t happen, but it took a toll on my mental and physical health. My goal for starting my own studio was to create a job that felt good inside and out. Now I can manage my own workload, so I know I’m giving each project 100% and don’t run into issues of quantity over quality or becoming mentally and creatively drained. My work life balance is sustainable now. I’m so grateful and excited for all that comes next!
You can find more information about Oui Create at ouicreatestudio.com or on Instagram @ouicreate.
Juliana O’Brien - Hula
Juliana O’Brien is dedicated to helping people show others just how much they are loved. She noticed that although e-commerce has progressed exponentially over the years the process of shopping for a gift has essentially remained the same. For this reason, she created Hula, a gift-shopping service that is fully customizable based on occasion, recipient and budget. She created a curated space that takes the stress out of gift shopping and the act of showing those close to you just how much you care.
Q & A with Juliana O’Brien
What drove you to start Hula?
Gifting is my love language. I love when a gift really sparks joy for someone. I was incredibly frustrated with how much time it was taking me to find a gift that was not only unique but something that my family and friends would not buy themselves. Despite the incredible advancements in the e-commerce industry over the last couple of decades, the process of finding the perfect gift for someone you care about has barely evolved at all. The time, effort, and stress required to do so means that all too often we default to something impersonal and unmemorable - the dreaded gift card! After sitting on the idea for Hula for a year and talking about it with just about everyone that would listen, I found that the feeling about the gift process was mutual. I was excited to finally change the way that people buy and receive gifts.
Can you explain your gift curation process? How does Hula determine what people truly want to receive as gifts?
As a passionate gift giver, shopaholic and notoriously critical consumer, I have done the work for you as I personally curate the perfect gifts for every occasion, recipient, and budget. Day in and day out, I absolutely love scouring the web for the unique gifts that your friends and family will actually want to receive. I’m passionate about removing all friction in finding and delivering the perfect gift. I have designed custom filters on Hula’s homepage that allow even the worst gifters to find something amazing in a matter of minutes. No more scrolling for hours. No more 100 browser tabs. You can discover new brands alongside unique artists all in one checkout.
What is your top goal for Hula in 2021?
2020 put our future plans for Hula into overdrive. I’m so excited to be launching a complimentary service so that users will never forget a birthday or anniversary. You will be able to receive timely reminders for the special people in your address book that you actually want to remember.
You can find more information about Hula at sendhula.com and on Instagram @sendhula.
Nichole Wright - Satrell Beauty
Satrell Beauty began as a passion project for Nicole Wright. Working in finance by day, she was always interested in creating her own beauty line. Named after her sons Samual and Dontrell , she wanted to create a company that not only inspired creativity and self-expression, but one that also had a conscience. The brand is cruelty free, inclusive skin tone range, and is also free of harmful chemicals.
Q & A with Nichole Wright
What inspired you to start a beauty brand?
I was inspired to start my own business because I have family members who are entrepreneurs. I also enjoy the fact that I can be my own boss, explore my creativity, and be expressive. Building a beauty brand is what came to mind when I started looking at all the makeup and skincare products I’ve purchased over the years. The beauty industry has a wide selection of products, but at the same time, there is room to add my own innovations to the mix. Although women are beautiful with or without makeup, I love the fact that I can provide a product that will allow them to showcase their personalities in other ways.
What was the first step you took in order to officially start Satrell Beauty?
My first step was to research and understand the beauty industry. I then put a business plan together to help me determine the purpose of my business, my target market, goals, etc.
What makes Satrell beauty products stand apart from all other beauty products?
What sets Satrell Beauty apart from other beauty products is that we continue to offer products that will inspire creativity and expression. We also have products that are long-lasting, hydrating, and moisturizing. Overall, we seek to offer our customers a colorful collection of products that they are eager to acquire.
Find out more about Satrell Beauty at satrell.com or on Instagram @mysatrellbrand
Inbal Claudio - Like Minded Collective
Inbal Claudio - Founder of Like Minded Collective (photo credit: Arisa Yoon)
Like Minded Collective was created when Inbal Claudio, a small business owner at the time herself, realized that the influencer market space was far too expensive for many new brands to tap into. Most of the pricing can be as high as $1,000, making the barrier for entry a lot more difficult for new companies. From this realization, Inbal created Like Minded Creative as a way to make influencer marketing possible for those who otherwise couldn’t achieve it. Like Minded Collective is extremely excited to be launching March of 2021 and hopes to be a place where under-represented influencers have an opportunity to work with small businesses.
Q & A with Inbal Claudio
How quickly can a small business or entrepreneur see benefits from joining Like Minded Collective?
Right away! Due to the search function, finding your perfect match and networking is so easy. Instead of spending hours sifting through profiles on Instagram or Facebook and sending messages that get lost in inboxes, you can narrow down your search by industry, pricing (if any), location, and then view profiles for aesthetics. From there you can message the person you’re interested in networking with directly on the platform.
Would you say that business growth can be faster by collaborating with micro influencers versus influencers with big followings?
I’ve personally seen both working very well. I think the best way to get growth is to collaborate with influencers that fit your industry and share genuine content. For example, owning a candle company, I can have influencers with a million followers in the automotive industry share my business once on their story, or I can have an influencer with 10,000 followers in the home & decor industry talk about my candles a few times on their stories. The influencer with fewer followers will have more of an impact on my candle sales than the automotive influencer with a million followers.
If you could describe a business or entrepreneur that would benefit the most from Like Minded Collective, what would it be (be as detailed as you can)?
Small businesses and influencers that are just starting out will benefit greatly from this platform. On other platforms, these entrepreneurs are normally overlooked because of their follower count. Like Minded Collective is made specifically for them! A place where everyone is welcome, and the perfect platform to grow their business, following, and increase engagement.
Find more about Like Minded Collective at lm-collective.com or on Instagram at @like.minded.collective