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Dear FoundHer A letter to female founders hosted by award-winning entrepreneur, . Weekly interviews to help you start, build and succeed in business.

There is nothing…NOTHING…in the world like in-person, IRL connections. ⁠⁠For over a year, YOU’VE shown us this every sin...
24/09/2025

There is nothing…NOTHING…in the world like in-person, IRL connections. ⁠
⁠
For over a year, YOU’VE shown us this every single month when you show up for our LIVE events both IRL in Chicago and virtually. ⁠
⁠
2.5 years ago you started asking to meet each other in person, and 1.5 years ago, we delivered on that ask. ⁠
⁠
The buzz in the room, and even on the Zoom, is like none other. And you consistently tell us that you look forward to these meet ups each and every month. Many of you have walked away with new connections, partnerships, and even new business. ⁠
⁠
Most important, LIVE gives you the chance to get out from behind your desk, for an hour and a half of advice, mentorship and the most incredible community around. ⁠
⁠
Our upcoming schedule is as follows... ⁠
⁠
Dear FoundHer... LIVE Networking events: ⁠
⁠
THIS Thursday, September 25th (Chicago’s North Shore)⁠
⁠Thursday, October 23rd (Chicago’s North Shore)⁠
Friday, November 14th (Chicago’s North Shore)⁠
⁠
⁠
DEAR FOUNDHER... ON TOUR WITH :⁠
⁠
October 16th in Bethesda, MD⁠
??? ONE MORE COMING SOON ???⁠
⁠
Nothing makes me happier than when we come together each and every month. Why? Because we truly are . ⁠
⁠
Comment LIVE below and I’ll send you the RSVP link for THIS THURSDAY straight to your DM. ⁠
⁠
Stay tuned…there is definitely more to come. ⁠
Most 📸 ⁠
⁠

designed Marketing Made Simple for Small Business as a group mentorship for reasons like this and this. Simply put: We...
15/09/2025

designed Marketing Made Simple for Small Business as a group mentorship for reasons like this and this.

Simply put: We’re better together.

She knew when she created her year long mentorship for women business owners 40+ that amazing results would transpire when the women inside the mentorship came together and supported one another.

These two examples are from TODAY.

1. MMS Cohort 2 member, founder teaches teens about their puberty and their changing bodies. Earlier this year, she brought on Cohort 1 member, Leslie Randolph, Founder of to the TT team to coach the girls coming through the program on building confidence. Together they’re hosting their first SUMMIT for tween girls later this fall in Chicago. TODAY, another Cohort 1 member, shared an interview she did about the summit with these two and what to expect. (See our stories for more info!)

2. Also today, MMS Cohort 3 member, Clean Living Health Coach, Rebecca Glick, Founder of , teamed up with Dear FoundHer… Forum member, Nutrition Coach, Nicole Putzel, Founder of putzelkitchen for for an event sharing healthy twists on traditional recipes for the Jewish holidays. The room was packed with women and the information shared was incredible—and delicious.

These are just two of hundreds of examples from within our community.

Marketing Made Simple for Small Business is an exclusive, high-touch mentorship for women entrepreneurs 40+ who are ready to grow their businesses with clarity, confidence, and strategy that actually works.

This isn’t for everyone. And that’s the point.

But if you think that it’s something you’re interested in—comment WAITLIST and get on ours.

You’ll be the first to know when our applications open up this week for Cohort 5—our final mentorship group of 2025!

Questions? Please don’t hesitate to ask!

When I started Dear FoundHer…, it was with one mission: to help women business owners over 40 build, scale, and grow the...
26/08/2025

When I started Dear FoundHer…, it was with one mission: to help women business owners over 40 build, scale, and grow their businesses—with real strategies, no fluff, and a community that actually has your back.

Over the last few years, what began as a podcast has grown into something so much bigger:

✨ In-person networking events
✨ A national tour with powerhouse founders
✨ The Dear FoundHer... Forum—our online community
✨ Monthly workshops + resources
✨ A high-touch mentorship program, Marketing Made Simple
✨ And, of course, over 300 episodes of inspiration on the podcast

But don’t just take my word for it—here’s what women in this community have to say. Just swipe ➡️ to check it out.

If you’re a woman business owner over 40 who’s ready to stop going it alone and finally have the support + systems you need, you’re in the right place. 💡

Click the link in our bio or comment JOIN to check out THE networking community for women business owners 40+. We can’t wait to see you inside.

This was the very last event I hosted for Bump Club and Beyond. Over 2,000 events in the course of a decade. This snaps...
25/08/2025

This was the very last event I hosted for Bump Club and Beyond. Over 2,000 events in the course of a decade.

This snapshot is from a Zoom we did where from surprised a Zoom room full of deserving moms and gave them each thousands of dollars worth of baby necessities provided by our sponsors. It was recorded and shared and used as content.

Each of these women were all impacted in a HUGE way by the pandemic. Truthfully, this event embodied every reason I started BCB, and it made me proud of the way I walked out.

I left a company I built from the ground up.
A community of millions. A team I loved.
I had won back partnerships, grown the business through the pandemic, and protected my community.

And yet… my values were being trampled, meetings were meaningless, and leadership was fractured.

In the hardest decision I ever had to make, I chose to walk away.

Not quietly. Not without strategy. But on my own terms.

Part 3 IN MY SUBSTACK SERIES “The Exit: A Journey of Vales, Loss and Rebirth” tells the story of how I fought for my team, protected my community, and finally walked away from a decade of blood, sweat, and tears.

This is the story I’ve never shared publicly—until now.

Comment EXIT and we’ll send you part 3 (and you can also grab parts 1 and 2 inside today’s edition of The FoundHer Files.)

Thanks for being here,
Xx

There is nothing…NOTHING…in the world like in-person, IRL connections. ⁠⁠For over a year, YOU’VE shown us this every sin...
25/08/2025

There is nothing…NOTHING…in the world like in-person, IRL connections. ⁠
⁠
For over a year, YOU’VE shown us this every single month when you show up for our LIVE events both IRL in Chicago and virtually. ⁠
⁠
2.5 years ago you started asking to meet each other in person, and 1.5 years ago, we delivered on that ask. ⁠
⁠
The buzz in the room, and even on the Zoom, is like none other. And you consistently tell us that you look forward to these meet ups each and every month. Many of you have walked away with new connections, partnerships, and even new business. ⁠
⁠
Most important, LIVE gives you the chance to get out from behind your desk, for an hour and a half of advice, mentorship and the most incredible community around. ⁠
⁠
Our upcoming schedule is as follows... ⁠
⁠
Dear FoundHer... LIVE Networking events: ⁠
😍THIS THURSDAY, August 28th (Chicago’s North Shore) ⁠
😍Thursday, September 25th (Chicago’s North Shore)⁠
⁠😍Thursday, October 23rd (Chicago’s North Shore)⁠
😍Friday, November 14th (Chicago’s North Shore)⁠
⁠
VIRTUAL WORKSHOPS SAVE THE DATE:⁠
September 18th is teaching you how to apply her SWEEP Method to your business seamlessly!⁠
⁠
DEAR FOUNDHER... ON TOUR WITH :⁠
⁠
October 16th in Bethesda, MD⁠
LOCATIONS TO BE ANNOUNCED SOON...STAY TUNED FOR MORE!⁠
⁠
Nothing makes me happier than when we come together each and every month. Why? Because we truly are . ⁠
⁠
Comment LIVE below and I’ll send you the RSVP link for THIS THURSDAY straight to your DM. ⁠
⁠
Stay tuned…there is definitely more to come. ⁠
Most 📸 ⁠
⁠

Whether you’re a brand new entrepreneur or you have some experience under your belt, remember: Creating a community is ...
20/08/2025

Whether you’re a brand new entrepreneur or you have some experience under your belt, remember: Creating a community is FREE. 

Do you know a founder who doesn’t want to save money on marketing?  Going back to the basics to create and invest in your community, through your time, will pay you back in dividends for years to come.

When I started my first company, Bump Club and Beyond I simply showed up and shared, talked to the women identified with them as a pregnant woman. This was before social media, but it was my vulnerability and honesty which connected me to them and which got them to continue coming to our events.

At the time in 2010, there was no social media.  I shared the good, the bad and the ugly—and in turn, they shared with me.  What started as two 50-person events, grew to two 100 person events per month, and then after my daughter was born, events for new moms too. Social media started to grow, and with it so did my company.  Instead of just showing up at our events, I started to share online as well.

So how do you do it? Start simple, with the basics. It’s not hard.

1️⃣Listen first. Don’t just broadcast—ask questions, invite feedback, and show people you hear them.
2️⃣Show up consistently. Trust is built over time. Be present in ways your community can count on.
3️⃣Create space for connection. It’s not just about you—make it easy for your people to connect with each other.
4️⃣Celebrate your people. Highlight wins, share stories, and show them they matter.
5️⃣Be transparent. Authenticity is the glue that holds community together.

I didn’t stop cultivating my first company’s community ever.  No matter who we worked with or how big we got—my community was always first.
 
 
Even after I completed my exit, to this day, I still get DMs and messages from people saying the community wasn’t the same after I left.

How are you building community within your business? Drop your ideas below, I bet that we can all learn a lot from each other around here.

Do you focus on building your community?

On the outside, it looked like everything was perfect. Smiles, meetings, partnerships, growth.On the inside, it was chao...
18/08/2025

On the outside, it looked like everything was perfect. Smiles, meetings, partnerships, growth.

On the inside, it was chaos. Broken promises. No resources. Managers leaving. My team and I fighting to save the company we had built—while being blocked at every turn.

I had to fly across the country to argue for a revised purchase agreement. I had to argue with the company who bought me to give us the resources they promised so we could come out the other side a success. I had to navigate a system that didn’t want me to succeed.

And yet, we delivered. We locked in and then saved a 7-figure deal with — just hours before the country went into lockdown in March 2020. We kept the business alive.

Some battles aren’t visible. Some victories aren’t celebrated in public. But the fight behind the scenes is what defines your leadership, your resilience, and your vision.

I never expected any of this when I sold my first company. But here we were. This week I’m sharing part 2 of The Exit in my , The FoundHer Files.

Let me know what you think. Comment EXIT and I’ll DM you the link.

To celebrate 300 episodes of Dear FoundHer…, we’re giving away TEN Lifetime Memberships to the Forum—winners get lifeti...
14/08/2025

To celebrate 300 episodes of Dear FoundHer…, we’re giving away TEN Lifetime Memberships to the Forum—winners get lifetime access to the private networking and support community for women 40+ building businesses on their own terms.

This membership doesn’t expire.
You currently can’t buy lifetime access.
And it’s never been offered before.

Forum members receive:
💬 Monthly Office Hours with
🎓 Expert-led business workshops
🤝 Real-time networking with a community of driven women
📚 Access to our full business resource library

Enter now to become a FoundHer… for life.

HERE’S HOW YOU CAN WIN:
✅ Follow
✅ Subscribe to our weekly newsletter The FoundHer Files (COMMENT SUBSTACK and we’ll DM you the link.)
✅ Tag a woman business owner who should also enter!
✅ BONUS: Share something about to your stories and tag us! It can be your favorite episode, something you’ve learned here, or even just this post.

WINNERS ANNOUNCED NEXT TUESDAY 8/19 BY 8pm. GOOD LUCK!!!

********************
This giveaway is in no way endorsed or sponsored by Meta or Instagram. You must be over 18 to enter to win. In order to enter you must be a subscriber to The Foundher Files substack and you must tag someone in the comments below the post. Ten winners will get a lifetime membership to the Dear FoundHer… Forum networking community. Winners will be chosen at random and tagged on this post with with instructions on how to claim. If you are already a member and you win, you can gift the prize to a friend.

I started as a passion project in 2021 to give women business owners the support I didn’t have, but definitely needed, ...
05/08/2025

I started as a passion project in 2021 to give women business owners the support I didn’t have, but definitely needed, when I launched my first company 15 years ago.

became my weekly letter to women business owners 40+, who are navigating the journey of entrepreneurship—often with decades of experience, and an equal amount of imposter syndrome.

When I left the company I built and sold, I had one mission: To keep at least one other woman from making the same mistakes I’d made.

I knew how to interview people.
I knew how to market and build a business.
I had no idea how to set up a podcast.

So I did the logical thing. I took a class.
Every week for six weeks I learned about podcasting from .heller. I built as we went along and by the end, I had an idea to put out into the world.

I never imagined that would turn into a platform, a community, and a movement for thousands of women with a podcast that’s now nearing 300 episodes.

This show has given me more than I can put into words—but this week, I tried. In Episode 299, I share the biggest lessons I’ve learned from nearly 300 women who’ve built businesses on their terms.

If you’ve ever tuned in, shared an episode, or reached out to say “this helped”—thank you.

We may be 300 episodes in as of next week, but I hope that you know…I’m just getting started.

Comment 299 and I’ll send you the episode, or you can find itwherever you podcast.

Sometimes as a business owner it’s hard to fit in the things just for me. Sometimes it’s hard to make time to do the th...
29/07/2025

Sometimes as a business owner it’s hard to fit in the things just for me. Sometimes it’s hard to make time to do the things that I love the most.

But this is a reminder for myself and for all of you: Make time to do the things you love with the people you love most.

Tonight this amazing group of women closed our softball season with a 15-0 W in the consolation game of our league’an playoff finals.

When I moved to the suburbs in 2017, my good friend from college insisted that I joined the team. This season marks my 8th season (would have been 9th without the pandemic), and I’ll tell you this: this team is one of the best groups and teams I’ve ever been a part of.

Our team isn’t just about softball. It’s about life…and we’ve been through A TON together. We come from all different towns, have kids of all different ages, and yet it just works. We respect one another. We’d do anything for one another. We truly adore one another.

The season always feels too short—but this one especially so. I love my Monday nights with this amazing crew (and those missing tonight.) I’ll be anxiously awaiting the start of the 2026 season when we’re back on the field together again.

Next year we’re fighting for that spot in the championship game. Congrats to our friends, The Mother Truckers, on your huge W tonight. You played the hardest and you certainly deserved it.

At this age and stage of life—these are the things that we’ve earned. Hit the pause button on work and make sure that you get out and do the things that you love, with the people who fill you up the most.

You won’t regret it. I promise.

We’re not here for the smoke and mirrors., we don’t make empty promises or dance for attention (literally or figurativel...
21/07/2025

We’re not here for the smoke and mirrors.

, we don’t make empty promises or dance for attention (literally or figuratively).

We’re here to give real, practical business advice for women 40+ who are building something that actually lasts.

No gimmicks. No BS. Just strategies that work in our group networking group, our group mentorship and delivered every week in our newsletter, The FoundHer Files.

Comment SUBSTACK and we’ll send you the link to subscribe.

📸

Because you don’t need hype. You need a plan.

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