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Maisa Mumtaz-Cassidy and And So, She Left

LEARN HOW TO LEAVE,
AND HOW TO START.

New episodes every Wednesday.

Season 2 began January 24, 2024.

Not a listener yet? No problem!

Read our episode transcripts here, abridged for the busy entrepreneur.

Pursue your passion, every Wednesday. 

"And So, She Left" EP56: From Corporate to Carpentry: Crafting Success (with Kiersten Hathcock)
33:21

"And So, She Left" EP56: From Corporate to Carpentry: Crafting Success (with Kiersten Hathcock)

"And So, She Left" is Cansulta's Entrepreneurship podcast. New episodes drop every Wednesday. More at https://www.andsosheleft.com SUBSCRIBE on Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1674279651), Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/5769D4YY0Vf7M2KwjJGDuo?si=b6a2c6cb231142fc), or wherever you listen (https://plinkhq.com/i/1674279651). From Corporate to Carpentry: Crafting Success (w/ Kiersten Hathcock, Founder - Mod Mom Furniture) EPISODE NOTES Back in 2006, Kiersten Hathcock was just trying to figure things out. She had left her job at A and E Television Networks a few years before and was bouncing around from town to town with her husband and their two kids. As she was, Kiersten did the very last thing that anyone expected: she founded a children’s furniture company called Mod Mom Furniture. Then in 2024, after the brand received international recognition and acclaim from Shark Tank, Elle Décor, Better Homes and Gardens, and more, she made another unexpected move: she simply walked away. Today, Kiersten is the Chief Marketing Officer at Moonshot. It’s a non-profit helping to spur economic development in rural Arizona. But to get there, Kiersten walked on some pretty uneven ground. She navigated a tumultuous appearance on Shark Tank, childhood trauma…even hearing the voices of dead children. This week, I sat down with Kiersten to hear how she went from working in the television industry to building children’s furniture by hand in her garage. Why did she make such a drastic jump to an industry she had no experience with? How did she differentiate her products in such a saturated market? And how did she learn to trust her intuition, even when she had no indicators of success to latch onto? Kiersten talks about: - Identifying product/market fit - Her experience pitching on Shark Tank - Learning to trust her instincts over everything - How to surround yourself with the right kind of people - Hearing the voices of dead children while designing kid's furniture Learn more about Kiersten at https://www.kierstenhathcock.com/ Learn more about Mod Mom Furniture at https://www.modmomfurniture.com/ Learn more about Moonshot at https://www.moonshotaz.com/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCf07LZFkqZmOui6ZmdoKgvg Want to sponsor season 3 of "And So, She Left" and help us to keep sharing unique and inspiring stories of women's entrepreneurship? Email us at podcast@cansulta.com. Visit https://www.andsosheleft.com for full episodes, transcripts, an application form to be on the show, a list of upcoming guests, and more. 🔉 We'd love to hear your feedback! Here's a quick 5-question survey. Your answers will help us to make the show even better: https://forms.gle/5JnfCUWbgLRw1NTa8 Hosted by 🎙️ Katherin Vasilopoulos (https://www.cansulta.com/store/katherin-v/). Made by @Cansulta (https://www.cansulta.com/) and Ethan Lee (https://www.cansulta.com/store/ethan-l/). Music by © Correspondence and © Chris Zabriskie, published by You've Been a Wonderful Laugh Track (ASCAP). Songs used in this episode include: Chris Zabriskie - "Air Hockey Saloon," "I Refuse to Accept That There's Nothing I Can Do About It," "Short Song 012823," "Short Song 022123." Correspondence - "Up + Up (reprisearise)." Used under the Creative Commons 4.0 International License
"And So, She Left" EP55: Chasing Peace over Prestige (w/ Amanda Moncada-Perkins, Stoutegy Law)
34:39

"And So, She Left" EP55: Chasing Peace over Prestige (w/ Amanda Moncada-Perkins, Stoutegy Law)

"And So, She Left" is Cansulta's Entrepreneurship podcast. New episodes drop every Wednesday. More at https://www.andsosheleft.com SUBSCRIBE on Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1674279651), Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/5769D4YY0Vf7M2KwjJGDuo?si=b6a2c6cb231142fc), or wherever you listen (https://plinkhq.com/i/1674279651). Chasing Peace over Prestige (w/ Amanda Moncada-Perkins, Founding Attorney - Stoutegy Law) EPISODE NOTES Growing up in the South Side of Chicago, Amanda Moncada-Perkins wanted power. Her family had few resources to make do with, so she became an attorney when she grew up to unlock a better future. And today, Amanda’s the Founding Attorney of her own firm, Stoutegy Law. But stepping into her power as a lawyer wasn’t without some major caveats. Amanda was pulling brutal 70 to 80-hour weeks while she was working at major firms. She recalls crying every day at work, stretching herself to the absolute limit to outperform her colleagues. She was even put on suicide watch during a particularly dark period. This week, Amanda talks about how she navigated countless obstacles in the daunting world of law to found her own successful firm. How did she cope with the immense pressure and strain as a high-profile attorney? Why did she find stepping away from work to be so difficult? And how did she eventually learn to put her mind at ease without compromising the quality of her work? Amanda talks about: - Overcoming overwork - How she landed her first client - Surviving a toxic work environment - Using school to transcend her circumstances - The vacation experience that convinced her to leave corporate Learn more about Amanda at https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandarmoncada/ Learn more about Stoutegy Law at https://www.stoutegylaw.com/ We have a new website! Visit https://www.andsosheleft.com for full episodes, transcripts, an application form to be on the show, a list of upcoming guests, and more. 🔉 We'd love to hear your feedback! Here's a quick 5-question survey. Your answers will help us to make the show even better: https://forms.gle/5JnfCUWbgLRw1NTa8 Hosted by 🎙️ Katherin Vasilopoulos (https://www.cansulta.com/store/katherin-v/). Made by @Cansulta (https://www.cansulta.com/) and Ethan Lee (https://www.cansulta.com/store/ethan-l/). Music by © Correspondence and © Chris Zabriskie, published by You've Been a Wonderful Laugh Track (ASCAP). Songs used in this episode include: Chris Zabriskie - "Air Hockey Saloon," "Candlepower," "CGI Snake," "Wonder Cycle," "Short Song 012823," "Another Version of You." Correspondence - "The North Sea (version)." Used under the Creative Commons 4.0 International License
"And So, She Left" EP54: Breaking New Ground - A Journey in Agri-Communication (w/ Janice Person)
31:14

"And So, She Left" EP54: Breaking New Ground - A Journey in Agri-Communication (w/ Janice Person)

"And So, She Left" is Cansulta's Entrepreneurship podcast. New episodes drop every Wednesday. More at https://www.andsosheleft.com SUBSCRIBE on Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1674279651), Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/5769D4YY0Vf7M2KwjJGDuo?si=b6a2c6cb231142fc), or wherever you listen (https://plinkhq.com/i/1674279651). Breaking New Ground - A Journey in Agri-Communication (w/ Janice Person, CEO - Grounded Communications) EPISODE NOTES When Janice Person was first talking about farm-to-table in the 90's, people thought she was crazy. Even with a journalism and communications background, she found it tough to share the perspectives of a minority group that we don’t think about very often: the farmers who grow it. When Janice started out, she was doing PR for the agrochemical juggernaut Monsanto. At Monsanto, she was given tools and resources to amplify the voices of farmers, a goal she’s still pursuing today through her podcast Grounded by the Farm and her company Grounded Communications. To hear Janice talk about farming is to learn what it means to speak with passion and conviction about your business. In this episode, Janice about her time working in the agriculture industry. What has she learned about communicating key issues about farming to people who know nothing about it? Why is she so passionate about agricultural advocacy? And what can we learn from Janice when it comes to talking about our own businesses? Janice talks about: - Essential consumer outreach tips - Why we should be worried about farmers - How to engage people outside your niche - How a trip to her first farm changed her life - Connecting with your customers through storytelling Learn more about Janice at https://www.linkedin.com/in/janiceperson/ Learn more about the podcast Grounded by the Farm at https://groundedbythefarm.com/ Learn more about Grounded Communications at https://groundedcomms.com/ We have a new website! Visit https://www.andsosheleft.com for full episodes, transcripts, an application form to be on the show, a list of upcoming guests, and more. 🔉 We'd love to hear your feedback! Here's a quick 5-question survey. Your answers will help us to make the show even better: https://forms.gle/5JnfCUWbgLRw1NTa8 Hosted by 🎙️ Katherin Vasilopoulos (https://www.cansulta.com/store/katherin-v/). Made by @Cansulta (https://www.cansulta.com/) and Ethan Lee (https://www.cansulta.com/store/ethan-l/). Music by © Correspondence and © Chris Zabriskie, published by You've Been a Wonderful Laugh Track (ASCAP). Songs used in this episode include: Chris Zabriskie - "Air Hockey Saloon," "The Sun is Scheduled to Come Out Tomorrow," "What True Self? Feels Bogus, Let's Watch Jason X" "Short Song 012023." Correspondence - "Harp Routine," "In Copenhagen." Used under the Creative Commons 4.0 International License
"And So, She Left" EP53: Why Having Fun in Business is Non-Negotiable (w/ Kaylin Marcotte, JIGGY)
31:13

"And So, She Left" EP53: Why Having Fun in Business is Non-Negotiable (w/ Kaylin Marcotte, JIGGY)

"And So, She Left" is Cansulta's Entrepreneurship podcast. New episodes drop every Wednesday. More at https://www.andsosheleft.com SUBSCRIBE on Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1674279651), Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/5769D4YY0Vf7M2KwjJGDuo?si=b6a2c6cb231142fc), or wherever you listen (https://plinkhq.com/i/1674279651). Why Having Fun in Business is Non-Negotiable (w/ Kaylin Marcotte, CEO & Founder - JIGGY) EPISODE NOTES **SPECIAL FOR OUR LISTENERS! Use code "SHELEFT20" for 20% off an order** Kaylin Marcotte’s early career wasn’t particularly fun. But when she was training as a management consultant at IBM in 2013, she met two promising, young female founders who wanted to start a media company...called theSkimm. So, she left to become their first employee. Kaylin’s days were pretty demanding, and she often played with jigsaw puzzles at home to unwind. But she didn’t always love the stock imagery she was putting together. So, in 2019, she founded JIGGY. It’s a direct-to-consumer company creating jigsaw puzzles that…actually look pretty cool. And its very existence is a reminder of how important it is to have fun throughout the entrepreneurial journey. Kaylin talks about how she went from getting hired as theSkimm’s first employee to becoming the Founder & CEO of JIGGY. How did she transition from working at a media company to manufacturing a physical product? What was it like to create a business out of her hobby? And how do we make fun a core part of the entrepreneurial experience? Kaylin talks about: - Essential lessons she learned at theSkimm - The importance of joy and play in business - How to transition into product manufacturing - How she kept her business going after COVID - How to give your customers exactly what they want Learn more about Kaylin at https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaylin-marcotte/ Learn more about the JIGGY at https://jiggypuzzles.com/ We have a new website! Visit https://www.andsosheleft.com for full episodes, transcripts, an application form to be on the show, a list of upcoming guests, and more. 🔉 We'd love to hear your feedback! Here's a quick 5-question survey. Your answers will help us to make the show even better: https://forms.gle/5JnfCUWbgLRw1NTa8 Hosted by 🎙️ Katherin Vasilopoulos (https://www.cansulta.com/store/katherin-v/). Made by @Cansulta (https://www.cansulta.com/) and Ethan Lee (https://www.cansulta.com/store/ethan-l/). Music by © Correspondence and © Chris Zabriskie, published by You've Been a Wonderful Laugh Track (ASCAP). Songs used in this episode include: Chris Zabriskie - "Air Hockey Saloon," "And It Is There, in Those Depths," "Can You Even F****** Imagine Being a Teenager Today?" "I Don't See the Branches, I See the Leaves," "Candlepower." Correspondence - "New Year's Loops." Used under the Creative Commons 4.0 International License
"And So, She Left" EP52: How to Think like an 8-Figure Inventor (Lisa Lloyd, Invention Accelerator)
31:03

"And So, She Left" EP52: How to Think like an 8-Figure Inventor (Lisa Lloyd, Invention Accelerator)

"And So, She Left" is Cansulta's Entrepreneurship podcast. New episodes drop every Wednesday. More at https://www.andsosheleft.com SUBSCRIBE on Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1674279651), Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/5769D4YY0Vf7M2KwjJGDuo?si=b6a2c6cb231142fc), or wherever you listen (https://plinkhq.com/i/1674279651). How to Think Like an 8-Figure Inventor (w/ Lisa Lloyd, Founder/Chief Innovation Officer - Invention Accelerator) @icaninvent EPISODE NOTES Lisa Lloyd will be the first to tell you that she’s not a genius...though she certainly seems like one. She invented her first product at 23, a hair styling tool called The French Twister, which eventually grossed $20 million. And over the years, she went on to license seven other products; getting featured on Shark Tank, Good Morning America, USA Today, The Big Idea, and more before starting the Lisa Lloyd Marketing Group. She’s also the Founder and Chief Innovation Officer at the Invention Accelerator, a program that helps busy innovators to get their ideas off the ground. But not all of those inventions turned out; in fact, Lisa had still been paying off the debt from one of her products until…pretty recently. And before she started inventing, there were no early signs of entrepreneurial greatness. She actually didn’t think she was smart enough to become an entrepreneur, period. In this episode, Lisa shares what she's learned over 30 years as an inventor and high-profile business owner. What were her most costly mistakes, and what did they teach her? What’s the key to persisting through prolonged periods of uncertainty without becoming cynical? And what are the two types of discipline that you need to keep moving forward as an entrepreneur? Lisa talks about: - Why she's not a genius - The two essential types of discipline - When to buckle down, and when to give it up - A less than perfect experience on Shark Tank - Generating $20,000,000 from her first product - How to persist through launching your first product Learn more about Lisa at http://www.lloydmarketinggroup.com Learn more about the Invention Accelerator at http://www.theinventionaccelerator.com @icaninvent We have a new website! Visit https://www.andsosheleft.com for full episodes, transcripts, an application form to be on the show, a list of upcoming guests, and more. 🔉 We'd love to hear your feedback! Here's a quick 5-question survey. Your answers will help us to make the show even better: https://forms.gle/5JnfCUWbgLRw1NTa8 Hosted by 🎙️ Katherin Vasilopoulos (https://www.cansulta.com/store/katherin-v/). Made by @Cansulta (https://www.cansulta.com/) and Ethan Lee (https://www.cansulta.com/store/ethan-l/). Music by © Correspondence and © Chris Zabriskie, published by You've Been a Wonderful Laugh Track (ASCAP). Songs used in this episode include: Chris Zabriskie - "Air Hockey Saloon," "CGI Snake," "Everyone Will Notice, No One Will Say Anything," "We Always Thought the Future Would Be Kind of Fun." Correspondence - "Holding Cycle," "On Again (version)," "New Year's Loops." Used under the Creative Commons 4.0 International License
"And So, She Left" EP51: How (Not) to Ask for Permission (w/ Polina Ruvinsky, Founder, HYPE HER)
27:10

"And So, She Left" EP51: How (Not) to Ask for Permission (w/ Polina Ruvinsky, Founder, HYPE HER)

"And So, She Left" is Cansulta's Entrepreneurship podcast. New episodes drop every Wednesday. More at https://www.andsosheleft.com SUBSCRIBE on Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1674279651), Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/5769D4YY0Vf7M2KwjJGDuo?si=b6a2c6cb231142fc), or wherever you listen (https://plinkhq.com/i/1674279651). How (Not) to Ask for Permission (w/ Polina Ruvinsky, CEO & Founder - Hype Her) EPISODE NOTES When Polina Ruvinsky stepped into a leadership role at Disney, she was told to not ask for permission. In 2018, she formed a women and tech employee group at the company. What started as a kind of experiment turned into a tight-knit community, allowing women at the company to come together, brainstorm, and offer support. The ripple effect of Polina’s community can still be felt: the group is now designated as a Business Employee Resource Group, or BERG, one of 100 BERGs across Disney today. In 2022, she founded "To The SHE Power" to offer mentorship, coaching and career services to women in transition. And now, she’s working to launch HYPE HER, a platform to revolutionize how women gain visibility and support each other, while uplifting each other and having fun while doing it. Polina talks about how she gave herself permission to create new opportunities for women leaders, how she learned to trust her gut, and how she dealt with what she calls “egregious leadership decisions” during her corporate career. Polina talks about: - Dealing with bias and imposter syndrome - How she learned to not ask for permission - How she formed a close-knit community at Disney - Why she never thought she would become an entrepreneur - The "egregious leadership decisions" she experienced in corporate Learn more about Polina at https://www.linkedin.com/in/polina-ruvinsky/ Learn more about Hype Her at https://hypeher.io/ We have a new website! Visit https://www.andsosheleft.com for full episodes, transcripts, an application form to be on the show, a list of upcoming guests, and more. 🔉 We'd love to hear your feedback! Here's a quick 5-question survey. Your answers will help us to make the show even better: https://forms.gle/5JnfCUWbgLRw1NTa8 Hosted by 🎙️ Katherin Vasilopoulos (https://www.cansulta.com/store/katherin-v/). Made by @Cansulta (https://www.cansulta.com/) and Ethan Lee (https://www.cansulta.com/store/ethan-l/). Music by © Correspondence and © Chris Zabriskie, published by You've Been a Wonderful Laugh Track (ASCAP). Songs used in this episode include: - Chris Zabriskie - "Air Hockey Saloon," "There Are Days That I Don't," "What True Self? Feels Bogus, Let's Watch Jason X," "Short Song 020523," "We Always Thought the Future Would Be Kind of Fun." - Correspondence - "Harp Routine." Used under the Creative Commons 4.0 International License
"And So, She Left" EP50: Trauma Was Running My Business (w/ Tereson Dupuy, Business Coach)
30:14

"And So, She Left" EP50: Trauma Was Running My Business (w/ Tereson Dupuy, Business Coach)

"And So, She Left" is Cansulta's Entrepreneurship podcast. New episodes drop every Wednesday. More at https://www.andsosheleft.com SUBSCRIBE on Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1674279651), Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/5769D4YY0Vf7M2KwjJGDuo?si=b6a2c6cb231142fc), or wherever you listen (https://plinkhq.com/i/1674279651). Trauma Was Running My Business (w/ Tereson Dupuy, Trauma-Informed Business Coach) EPISODE NOTES **Content Warning: This episode deals with sensitive topics like suicide, PTSD, divorce, and poor mental health.** On the surface, Tereson Dupuy has led a pretty good life. She successfully ran her business FuzziBunz Diapers for almost two decades and kickstarted the modern cloth diapering movement. All in all, she sold $32 million dollars worth of product. But beneath the surface, it’s a different story. Tereson’s dealt with trauma ever since she was little: trauma which bled into her entrepreneurial life. She’s battled abandonment and lost her son to suicide during the pandemic. But Tereson's traumas have actually unlocked her ability to lead with love, both for herself and those around her. The death of her son Eden in particular spurred her upcoming memoir titled The Return of Eden, which details how he has guided Tereson along her healing journey… from beyond the veil. In this special Women's History Month episode, Tereson talks about: - Making sense of suicide and loss - How prolonged trauma impacted her business - Dealing with betrayal from predatory business partners - How her son's diaper rash led inspired a $30,000,000 company - The unforgettable quote from a Shark Tank shark that changed her life Learn more about Tereson at https://www.teresondupuy.com/ We have a new website! Visit https://www.andsosheleft.com for full episodes, transcripts, an application form to be on the show, a list of upcoming guests, and more. 🔉 We'd love to hear your feedback! Here's a quick 5-question survey. Your answers will help us to make the show even better: https://forms.gle/5JnfCUWbgLRw1NTa8 Hosted by 🎙️ Katherin Vasilopoulos (https://www.cansulta.com/store/katherin-v/). Made by @Cansulta (https://www.cansulta.com/) and Ethan Lee (https://www.cansulta.com/store/ethan-l/). Music by © Correspondence and © Chris Zabriskie, published by You've Been a Wonderful Laugh Track (ASCAP). Songs used in this episode include: Chris Zabriskie - "Air Hockey Saloon," "It Takes a Lot to Keep a Figure Like This," "Perhaps It Was Not Properly Manufactured," "The Lower Third Hall of Fame," "Cylinder Nine," "Cylinder Four," "CGI Snake," "I'm About to Do the Second Hardest Thing I've Ever Done," "Stories About the World That Once Was," "We Were Never Meant to Live Here," "Short Song 011823," "Short Song 021723," "Short Song 030223," "The House Glows (With Almost No Help)," "I Can't Imagine Where I'd Be Without It." Used under the Creative Commons 4.0 International License
"And So, She Left" EP49: Is Bias Killing Your Confidence? (w/ Maisha Cannon, The Collab Lab)
30:31

"And So, She Left" EP49: Is Bias Killing Your Confidence? (w/ Maisha Cannon, The Collab Lab)

"And So, She Left" is Cansulta's Entrepreneurship podcast. New episodes drop every Wednesday. More at https://www.andsosheleft.com SUBSCRIBE on Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1674279651), Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/5769D4YY0Vf7M2KwjJGDuo?si=b6a2c6cb231142fc), or wherever you listen (https://plinkhq.com/i/1674279651). Is Bias Killing Your Confidence? (with Maisha Cannon, Founder & Chief Learner, The Collab Lab) EPISODE NOTES In her previous life as a corporate recruiter, Maisha Cannon put on what she describes as a kind of “mask.” She wasn’t fully herself. Often, she’d fade into the background to try and get ahead as a black woman in corporate America. But for Maisha, getting into entrepreneurship meant putting aside those incidents where she experienced bias. It meant stepping into herself and building the confidence she needed to start The Collab Lab, which helps Talent Acquisition professionals and Recruiters to grow their skills and careers. In this episode, Maisha talks about how to bring your full self to work. How did she respond to experiencing racial bias in the workplace? How did she develop the confidence to start The Collab Lab, especially as an introvert? And what’s the biggest trend affecting job recruitment right now? Maisha talks about: - Getting hired at (and leaving) companies like Google and LinkedIn - Embracing imperfection and the importance of launching early - The secrets to overcoming bias in the workplace - How AI is being used to disrupt recruiting - Shedding her corporate "mask" Learn more about Maisha at https://www.linkedin.com/in/mcannon/ Learn more about The Collab Lab at https://thecollablabinc.com/ We have a new website! Visit https://www.andsosheleft.com for full episodes, transcripts, an application form to be on the show, a list of upcoming guests, and more. 🔉 We'd love to hear your feedback! Here's a quick 5-question survey. Your answers will help us to make the show even better: https://forms.gle/5JnfCUWbgLRw1NTa8 Hosted by 🎙️ Katherin Vasilopoulos (https://www.cansulta.com/store/katherin-v/). Made by @Cansulta (https://www.cansulta.com/) and Ethan Lee (https://www.cansulta.com/store/ethan-l/). Music by © Chris Zabriskie, published by You've Been a Wonderful Laugh Track (ASCAP). Songs used in this episode include: Chris Zabriskie - "Air Hockey Saloon," "Candlepower," "CGI Snake" "Wonder Cycle," "Readers! Do You Read?," "Is That You Or Are You You?" "Short Song 021423," "Everybody's Got Problems That Aren't Mine," "Another Version of You." Used under the Creative Commons 4.0 International License
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