When you invest in women, you invest in all of humanity and the economy.

Melissa Wallace is the CEO of Fierce Foundry and co-founder of Fivefoottwo Marketing. Melissa has more than 25 years of marketing experience across many different areas - B2B, consumer, and the creative agency world, with a focus on pioneering technologies and entertainment. In 2023 Melissa launched Fierce Foundry - the first-ever FemTech Venture studio designed to reduce and equalize the deficit and funding for female founders.

Unlike traditional accelerators or incubators, a venture studio builds companies from idea to exit, offering full lifecycle support to founders. Melissa explained how Fierce Foundry provides both entrepreneurial and business expertise to help women founders launch and scale their companies, with the goal of driving these companies to exit and reinvest in other female-led ventures, creating a "flywheel" effect.

Male-focused startup model doesn't work as well for women entrepreneurs. Women face different challenges and need a tailored approach to success, one that better reflects our experiences and mindsets that don’t have drinking bourbon and smoking cigars mindset.

Women also have more phases in their lives, need reinventing, and as Melissa stated even middle of the life retirement. Reality is just different and career paths and models should be different as well. For Melissa resilience is a key trait for women in business but self-care is a critical component of success in entrepreneurship.

We are all equal, but we are different and that is why women should support other women in business, from investing in female-founded businesses to simply creating space for women to thrive without burning out.

Show notes:
👩‍💼 Melissa has been a huge proponent for women for decades: traction on the prototype was not possible, so she started bridging the gap through her venture studio. (3:59)
⭐ What is a venture studio: building products with creators to de-risk the investment, while incubators and accelerators only offer partial support. (08:15)
🤩 How the venture studio is funded: crowdfunding, donations, family offices, VCs, and angel investors. (13:07)
🆚 Female vs. male model of doing business: women need a model with flexibility. (16:48)
👠 Two phases of women’s lives: saving, reinventing, and being resilient. (20:49)
🗝️ Learning about yourself through entrepreneurship: mindset, self-care, and time management are key pillars. (24:58)
⚡Positive stress is energy that pushes and motivates you: learn your capabilities and work within boundaries that keep you happy and healthy. (27:24)
🌷 Learning from being laid off: take the opportunity to rethink your direction and focus on your happiness. (29:43)
🎤 Melissa will be a panelist at She Leads LIVE 2024: her membership includes a community for female founders. (31:55)

Links:

Connect: www.linkedin.com/in/melissahudsonwallace

Website: www.thefiercefoundry.com/about-us

-Connect with Adrienne: www.sheleadsmedia.com

-Listen to podcasts for women by women on the She Leads Podcast Network: www.sheleadspodcasts.com

-🎟️ Buy tickets to She Leads LIVE 2024 here:

https://bit.ly/SheLeadsLIVE2024

>> "I love ❤️ Adrienne and The She Leads™ Podcast!” If that thought crossed your mind at any time while listening to our special show, can I ask you to please take a moment and give our podcast some love? To do so, simply Rate, Review & Follow Us on Apple Podcasts & Spotify. Taking this simple action helps my team and I to spread the word about all the incredible guests of The She Leads Podcast and contributes overall to helping women leaders and entrepreneurs everywhere! 🗺️ Also, if you haven’t done so already, please +follow the podcast so you never miss an episode. Thank you so much!! XO -Adrienne <<

The transformation happens with small and constant changes.

Consistency is the key to success, and it is the backbone of this podcast, where we have hosted amazing women entrepreneurs every week for over a year without pause. It’s Adrienne’s labor of love, connecting women entrepreneurs and leaders, and helping listeners grow their businesses, mindset, and even their lives.

But it’s not all work and no play—there’s a special 2-for-1 ticket offer for the She Leads Live Conference 2024, designed to make it easier for you and a friend to attend this transformative event. Expect over 300 women, 20 powerful speakers, and tons of networking, learning, and growth opportunities in NYC this October.

We are here to support all women entrepreneurs, and we’d love your support too. Take a moment to leave a review for the podcast, not just to elevate the show, but to help uplift the incredible women featured throughout the series. Let’s make this world a better place for all.

Notes:
🥳 Prepping for She Leads LIVE 2024: we will be having 20 speakers and 300 guests. 01:58
🤸‍♀️ Training at the gym regularly since January: working out with a trainer and regaining her strength. 03:08
🤩 She Leads LIVE 2024 Conference and proudly showcases various experts and leaders for a decade. 05:49
🎙️ Consistency is the key: She Leads Podcast is a place for inspiration and empowerment for all women. 05:49
🎁 Special offer for all listeners: buy one ticket, get one free – DM Adrienne on Instagram for this great offer. 08:53
⭐ Power of community support to accelerating your business: learn from others and take tools from your community of successful women entrepreneurs. 12:15
👠 Join us in NY at She Leads Conference on October 18th and 19th: listen to the podcast, get in touch with us on Instagram, and review the show. 15:25

Links:
Connect with Adrienne: www.sheleadsmedia.com

Listen to podcasts for women by women on the She Leads Podcast Network: www.sheleadspodcasts.com

🎫 Buy tickets to She Leads LIVE 2024 here:

https://bit.ly/SheLeadsLIVE2024

>> "I love ❤️ Adrienne and The She Leads™ Podcast!” If that thought crossed your mind at any time while listening to our special show, can I ask you to please take a moment and give our podcast some love? To do so, simply Rate, Review & Follow Us on Apple Podcasts & Spotify. Taking this simple action helps my team and I to spread the word about all the incredible guests of The She Leads Podcast and contributes overall to helping women leaders and entrepreneurs everywhere! 🗺️ Also, if you haven’t done so already, please +follow the podcast so you never miss an episode. Thank you so much!! XO -Adrienne <<

Join me for an exciting preview of the She Leads Live 2024 conference, celebrating our 10th anniversary! This two-day event in New York City is designed to inspire and connect high-level women entrepreneurs. Key highlights include:

• Dates: October 18-19, 2024
• Location: Civic Hall, Union Square, NYC
• Features:
  • Celebrity keynote speaker
  • Interactive workshops
  • Pitch the Media panel
  • Women's health panel sponsored by Winona
  • VIP networking events
  • Financial and business growth sessions

Speakers include Alycia Huston, Diane Forster, Suzanne Evans, Pam Jordan, Alexis Caldicott, Dr. Paula Fellingham, and more industry experts. This conference is specifically designed for women entrepreneurs who are serious about breaking through the $1 million mark in their business. The 2 days will offer super-practical advice, networking opportunities, and expert strategies for business growth and funding.

Early bird tickets end August 31st. Don't miss this opportunity to connect with driven, high-vibe women entrepreneurs from around the world!

For tickets and more information, visit www.SheLeadsMedia.com or search "She Leads Live 2024 New York City" on Eventbrite. Can't wait to see you all there!!

Show Notes:

🌟 I am looking forward to seeing all the incredible women entrepreneurs at She Leads LIVE. 02:10
✨ Two full days of the conference in Civic Hall: VIP celebration and 10th-year anniversary in the heart of NY. 04:40
🗓️ Conference agenda and our amazing speakers: expo, registration, breakfast, and a secret celebrity speaker at the opening. 06:39
🤝 Workshop sessions: Miranda von Frickin, Francine Parnham, and Tina Brinkley Potts from Keep. 07:34
⚕️ Winona sponsored the healthcare panel: Angela Stubbs, Dr Kathleen Brown, Jessica Shepard, Vanessa Rossetto, and Heidi Diamilio. 08:56
🎯 Diane Foster will help us focus on our goals: a committed network of women who help other women grow their businesses. 11:39
🥂 A more intimate gathering for platinum ticket holders: early bids will expire today. 13:34
🗞️ Pitch the Media Panel: how to access the media - learn and test from the media experts. 14:28
📺 Jen Oliva, producer at NBC, and Dr. Paula Noble Fellingham with tips from TV media. 15:46
💰 Suzanne Evans will teach us how we can leverage our voices to create wealth. 18:04

💲 Know your numbers and finances with Pam Jordan. 18:40
💃 VIP party and surprise speaker at the end of the beautiful evening. 19:44
🩷 She Leads LIVE stories and moving connections are beautiful. 20:50
2️⃣ Day II: Alexis Caldicott, will teach us to be a master of messaging and Alicia Hudson will explain practical advice for culture creators for businesses. 21:46
⏰ NOW is the TIME: what we need to do to reach the $1M mark on the financial panel. 24:00

👩‍💻 Nellie Yousapova will teach us how to leverage tech to grow our businesses. 25:00
😍 Sponsors and vendors for She Leads LIVE: 26:19
🧘‍♀️ A relaxation lounge, great food, amazing speakers, and tons of fun: welcome to She Leads LIVE. 27:41
👠 Offers for podcast packages, help with publishing a book: find your platform and be heard. 29:38

🎧 Go binge the She Leads Media podcasts: we are the network for women created by women. 31:45

Links:
-Connect with Adrienne: www.sheleadsmedia.com

-Listen to podcasts for women by women on the She Leads Podcast Network: www.sheleadspodcasts.com

-🎟️ Buy tickets to She Leads LIVE 2024 here:

https://bit.ly/SheLeadsLIVE2024

• >> "I love ❤️ Adrienne and The She Leads™ Podcast!” If that thought crossed your mind at any time while listening to our special show, can I ask you to please take a moment and give our podcast some love? To do so, simply Rate, Review & Follow Us on Apple Podcasts & Spotify. Taking this simple action helps my team and I to spread the word about all the incredible guests of The She Leads Podcast and contributes overall to helping women leaders and entrepreneurs everywhere! 🗺️ Also, if you haven’t done so already, please +follow the podcast so you never miss an episode. Thank you so much!! XO-Adrienne <<