Her Success Story

This week, Ivy Slater, host of Her Success Story, chats with her guest, Danielle Hayden. The two talk about Danielle Hayden's unconventional path from hairdresser to CEO, the importance of using financial data for fast and effective business decisions, and how Kickstart Accounting empowers entrepreneurs to overcome money mindset challenges so they can scale their companies with confidence. In this episode, we discuss: How financial data empowers entrepreneurs to make fast, efficient, and effective decisions by understanding not just the numbers, but how to use them for business growth. What mindset and money narratives entrepreneurs carry into business, and how those personal stories can limit decision-making and growth. When to hire: the advice to "hire before you're ready" to build foundational processes and enable growth, even amidst doubts about affordability and readiness. Why having advisors, mentors, and a supportive community is vital for growth and learning as a CEO. How emotions around money, especially seeing business downturns as personal failures, can impact decision-making and confidence. Danielle Hayden, Owner and CEO, Kickstart Accounting Inc. | CPA, Corporate CFO Turned Entrepreneurial Finance Strategist Most service business owners making six and seven figures are still running their finances on gut feel. Danielle spent more than a decade as a corporate CFO watching executive teams use data to make fast, confident decisions, then built a firm to bring that same discipline to founders who are ready to lead their businesses the same way.   Why Danielle stands out:    She leads a team of nearly 50 and hosts her own podcast, Business by the Books. She knows the format, comes prepared, and brings content that lands with working business owners, not theory. Her three-phase framework (Diagnose, Design, Decide) gives listeners a concrete tool they can evaluate against their own business on the same day they hear the episode. Key focus: Financial decision-making for service business owners doing $500K to $5M in revenue. Listen to her on: CFO Weekly, A Well-Designed Business, The Practice Practice Podcast, Speaking Your Brand Website: website  Social Media Links: LinkedIn      

This week, Ivy Slater, host of Her Success Story, chats with her guest, Celeste Durve. The two talk about entrepreneurial resilience, strategic business pivots, and building Viper into a national experiential staffing firm serving Fortune 500 clients and major events. In this episode, we discuss: How Celeste Durve recognized a gap in the event industry and built Viper, a national staffing and experiential firm, starting from her experiences as a restaurant hostess and event intern. What challenges Celeste faced in shifting her business from nightlife to corporate clientele, including rebuilding pipelines and rebranding her offerings. When Viper began seeing rapid growth, doubling and tripling in size annually after successfully pivoting and restructuring the business. Why embracing change and being quick to evolve are key strategies for scaling and remaining competitive, as demonstrated by Viper's journey. Who inspired and mentored Celeste in her early days and why she now encourages others to test and discover what they truly want (or don't want) in their careers.   Celeste Durve, founder of VIPER and the creator of Smart Is Sexy Celeste is Gen Z's big sister who tells you the truth nobody else will: you are not a victim of your life, you have more agency than you think, and being smart is sexy. She's also the Forbes 30 Under 30 founder of VIPER and the creator of Smart Is Sexy, a media brand built on that exact philosophy. She's exactly the kind of gutsy woman building her own success story that Her Success Story was made for - and I'd love to nominate her as a guest! Celeste grew up first-generation Indian American, worked through high school, skipped college entirely, and entered the workforce without any of the credentials people assume you need to get in the room, let alone own it. What she had instead was an obsessive belief that opportunities are created, not inherited. She built VIPER into a national staffing and experiential firm with 200+ team members and clients spanning Fortune 500 brands, pro athletes, celebrities, and major media companies. A decade inside those rooms taught her exactly how the most successful people think and operate. Then she started writing about it, and Smart Is Sexy took off because she said what everyone else was too careful to say. A few angles Celeste is lethal on: High Agency as a Daily Operating System: Not a buzzword - a way of thinking that changes how you approach every decision, relationship, and opportunity in front of you. Emotional Intelligence as a Competitive Advantage: Why the people who get ahead fastest are often the ones who read rooms better, communicate with precision, and manage themselves under pressure. Built Without a Blueprint: What it actually looks like to build a seven-figure company without a degree, a network, or a trust fund - and what that process reveals about how opportunity really works. The New Femininity: Celeste boxes, trains at the shooting range, and has hosted self-defense workshops for her team. She also speaks fluently about beauty, wellness, and modern womanhood. Her argument is that strength and softness aren't opposites - they're the combination that makes someone genuinely formidable. Self-Concept and the Stories We Tell Ourselves: How identity shapes outcomes, why some people stay stuck while others keep creating, and what it takes to actually change the internal narrative. What a Decade in Elite Rooms Taught Me About People: The patterns Celeste has observed working alongside founders, executives, athletes, and celebrities - and what separates those who consistently create opportunities from those who keep waiting for them. Website | Instagram | Substack Celeste has been featured on The 1% with Vin Infante, Okay Sister, Industry Game, and Unseen Hours, and named to Forbes 30 Under 30 and BizBash 40 Under 40.        

This week, Ivy Slater, host of Her Success Story, chats about using Halloween's playful creativity to inspire strategic business planning, the importance of confronting what intimidates you in business, and how bringing a team together can spark bold ideas for the future. In this episode, we discuss: How embracing Halloween's creativity can inspire bold, innovative approaches to strategic business planning. What it looks like to balance creativity with what might feel a little scary or intimidating when shaping future business plans. Why it's important to identify both the fears and opportunities in your business, and how to use these insights to drive growth and transformation. How to move from playful brainstorming to actionable strategies and implementation plans with accountability built in. Why sharing creative energy with your team and encouraging out-of-the-box ideas can lead to smart, effective, and heartfelt strategies for 2027 and beyond. Ivy Slater is a professionally certified business coach, speaker, best-selling author and podcast host. After owning and operating a 7-figure printing business, having been in the industry for 20 years, she started Slater Success which focuses on developing great leaders and facilitating business growth and expansion. Ivy holds masterminds and retreats with her private client base and corporate training on communication and strategic planning. She speaks nationwide on the topics of leadership, sustainable growth, relationships and sales. Best Selling Author of From the Barre to the Boardroom Website: https://slatersuccess.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ivyslater/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/slatersuccesscoaching Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ivyslaterssc/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/slatersuccess/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/SlaterSuccessCC YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJ8b1sGnADlpFE2NrqUfToQ?view_as=subscribe      

This week, Ivy Slater, host of Her Success Story, chats with her guest, Caitlin Harrison. The two talk about Caitlin's journey from print publishing to founding Firmly, the evolution of her business as she carved out a niche serving solo and small law firms with website and branding solutions, and the mindset shifts and self-development that have been essential to growing a company designed for both professional success and family balance. In this episode, we discuss: How Caitlin Harrison navigated learning the skills she needed for her business, especially moving from print to digital, and investing in education and communities to fill her knowledge gaps. What the process of niching looked like, from working with anyone at first to recognizing the underserved market of small law firms. When to look at business progress through a "rolling average" lens, rather than being tied to arbitrary timeframes or getting caught in the emotional highs and lows. Why self-development and mindset work is so crucial for entrepreneurs, a lesson Caitlin Harrison did not expect prior to starting her business. What business decision-making looks like in practice, including tips like not making big decisions on your best or worst day, and treating niche experimentation as an ongoing process.   Caitlin Harrison is the founder of Firmly, a website service built for solo and small law firms. Through Firmly, she helps attorneys clarify their positioning, communicate their value, and attract better-fit clients through systems-based websites designed to convert. With 20 years of experience in branding, web development, and client experience design, Caitlin bridges strategy and execution, helping law firm owners build marketing foundations that are professional, ethical, and sustainable. Website: https://caitlinharrisoncreative.com/ Social Media Links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harrisoncaitlin/    

This week, Ivy Slater, host of Her Success Story, chats with her guest, Peter Dolch. The two talk about Peter's journey from founding and running a boutique software development firm in New York, his creation of the MIT Female Founders Pitch Competition to support women entrepreneurs, and the importance of diversity and strong advisory networks in building successful startups, all with clear insight into his company's evolution and the impactful work he continues in the startup ecosystem. In this episode, we discuss: How Peter Dolch transitioned from consulting for large Fortune 500 companies to helping launch over 50 startups, discovering his passion for working with entrepreneurs and early-stage ventures. What gender diversity means for founding teams, with Peter highlighting evidence that mixed-gender teams tend to outperform all-male or all-female teams. When solo female founders in tech face challenges, including the expectation to add a male technical co-founder, an expectation that persists despite advances in no-code and low-code platforms. Why Peter Dolch chose to focus on supporting female founders, motivated by witnessing disparities in how women entrepreneurs were treated by investors compared to their male counterparts. How virtual work is transforming team dynamics and talent acquisition, making it easier for startups to build teams across geographies, but that in-person collaboration still provides unique value. Peter Dolch is a technology entrepreneur and venture investor based in New York. His career started at MIT, where he studied Management Science, and has wound through two decades of building — first at Thaumaturgix (Tgix), the technology consulting firm Peter co-founded in the mid-90s, and later as co-founder and CTO of companies like Biospectal (non-invasive blood pressure monitoring) and Psyber (AI-driven cyber risk assessment). Until recently Peter ran AEON Foundry, a venture studio and fund focused on early-stage technology companies, where he wore the hats of investor, advisor, and occasional builder depending on what a portfolio company needed most. He is currently working on his second fund. Outside of the firm, Peter serves as Chairman of the MIT Sloan Club of New York and runs the MIT Women's Venture Challenge — an annual competition that brings together women-founded startups, investors, and the MIT community. Getting more capital and visibility to underrepresented founders is something Peter feels strongly about, and the WVC has become a meaningful vehicle for that. On the personal side, he lives in New York with his wife and two kids (one in college). Peter is a curious generalist —he gets genuinely excited by the intersection of technology and human behavior, which probably explains why he keeps ending up as CxO in healthcare and risk-related startups. Peter is also a tinkerer by nature:and currently has an AI chief-of-staff system he has been building and iterating on, which has become something of a passion project in its own right. Website: https://aeonfoundry.com/ Social Media Links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterdolch/          

This week Ivy Slater, host of Her Success Story, chats with her guest,Terry Tateossian. The two talk about embracing personal transformation, becoming the "CEO" of your own health, and building THOR: The House of Rose, a wellness brand that empowers women over 40 with retreats, coaching, and community. In this episode, we discuss: How Terry Tateossian transitioned from a career in digital marketing and artificial intelligence to founding THOR: The House of Rose, a wellness brand for women over 40. What inspired her to make a massive life and career change after facing serious health challenges, including perimenopause and burnout while running a successful agency and raising two kids. When Terry realized the importance of seeking outside help, such as a coach, to overcome personal blind spots and self-sabotaging behaviors. Why being the "CEO of your own health" is essential, and how Terry applied business and engineering mindsets to her personal wellness journey. How THOR: The House of Rose got its name, drawing on concepts of universal frequency, symbolism of the rose, and mythological references to strength, love, and balance   Terry Tateossian, Serial Entrepreneur & Startup Investor with over 20 years of experience in the tech & media industries. Startup Founder in Media & Technology. Born during Communist regime in Eastern Europe. Defected with her parents at the age of 11. Lived in a refugee camp in Austria from the ages of 11-13. Arrived in the United States at the age of 13. Graduated college with a BA in Computer Science. Pursued Artificial Intelligence & Blockchain Technology post-grad at MIT. Over 20 years experience in public speaking. Currently, Terry has completely transitioned into the health & wellness industry. Her passion for fitness and newfound love of helping mid-life women regain their health and vitality has compelled her to start a new career path in health coaching as the founder of THOR. THOR is an exclusively curated experiential brand focusing on fitness, wellness and whole body health. We blend in-person retreats, a wellness community for women over 40, ongoing 1:1 fitness and nutrition coaching & support and world-class wellness & longevity products to empower women to take back their health. Privately nestled on over 50 acres of virgin forestland in the Smoky Mountains and Cherokee National Forest, THOR's experiences focus on daily yoga, hiking, meditation, breathwork, mindset, health spa treatments, massage therapy, forest bathing, red light therapy, Reiki, glamorous photoshoots, and it is specifically designed to help individuals regain their youth, radiance, regenerate their bodies and improve longevity & healthspan. Terry has also launched a new podcast series highlighting individuals who have achieved radical transformations of their own. You can listen to the first episodes on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Her life's calling is to awaken the power that lives in all of us by showcasing what is possible and truly allowing individuals to experience how good it can get for THEM. Website: https://www.thehouseofrose.com/womens-wellness-retreats/   Social Media Links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/terry-tateossian/        

This week, Ivy Slater, host of Her Success Story, chats with her guest, Lindsay Busfield. The two talk about Lindsay's entrepreneurial roots, her journey from auditing chicken barns to becoming a partner at Optimize My Firm, a boutique legal SEO agency, and the power of finding your niche in a crowded market. In this episode, we discuss: How Lindsey Busfield leveraged her strengths in project management and operations to scale Optimize My Firm from a small operation to a recognized national brand. What motivated Lindsey to write her book, "How Personal Injury Lawyers Get Leads: What Works, What Doesn't, and Why," and how the book was a distillation of interviews, podcasts, and industry observations. When Lindsay Busfield's podcast, Personal Injury Marketing Minute, began (about four years ago), and how it has evolved in cadence and production. Why Lindsey doesn't believe SEO is "dead" with the rise of AI, explaining how good SEO practices feed AI models and why continuing quality content creation remains essential. Who the ideal clients are for Optimize My Firm, and what characteristics make for the best client relationships from both business and ethical perspectives. What makes Optimize My Firm stand out in a crowded legal marketing industry, such as their boutique approach, values-driven client selection, geographic exclusivity, and no-contract model.   Lindsey Busfield, Vice President of Optimize My Firm, a niche SEO agency catering exclusively to law firms around the US.  Coming from a highly entrepreneurial family with many successful – and some wildly unsuccessful businesses, Lindsey was born into a life of business development.  After starting her career over about a dozen times, from English teacher to egg farming to legal marketing, Lindsey not only figured out how different businesses operate, but she figured out how she operated as a person and a professional. Today, as a partner at a specialized SEO agency that elevates some of the nation's most powerful legal websites, Lindsey draws upon her diverse background to empower clients and find fulfillment in both her professional and personal journey.  Lindsey has turned her legal marketing experience over the past decade into a highly acclaimed marketing guide for law firms: How Personal Injury Lawyers Get Leads: What Works, What Doesn't, and Why. While a dozen or so SEO agencies can tout the same accomplishments, Busfield has become an industry disrupter by revolutionizing the client-law firm relationship. Rather than locking clients into long-term contracts and overpromising results and timelines, Busfield's company has done away with contracts…which attorneys surprisingly love. Busfield also hosts her own podcast, the Personal Injury Marketing Minute, which Attorney At Law Magazine named one of the Best Legal Podcasts of 2025.  Lindsey has been featured in: Benzinga – The Woman Behind Some Of The Most Powerful Law Firm Website Marketing In The Nation USA Today – How her SEO firm is disrupting traditional agency-client relationships IBI Times – Dispelling the Misconceptions of SEO Website: https://optimizemyfirm.com/ Social Media Links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsey-busfield/    

In this episode, Ivy Slater chats with us about the importance of strategic planning as the fourth quarter approaches, the value of reflecting on business and personal achievements, and how to set a vision for growth through 2027. In this episode, we discuss: How to set a clear vision for 2027 by reflecting on last year's accomplishments and planning accordingly. What reflection process to follow at the end of September and the start of October, including reviewing what has worked well and identifying accomplishments in both business and personal growth. When to carve out time in the fourth quarter for strategic planning, and why it's important to use practical tools like the soon-to-be-released strategic planning toolkit. Understanding exactly which tactics led to success (e.g., marketing initiatives, conferences, speaking engagements) is crucial when forming plans for upcoming years. How to draw key takeaways from the reflection process and commit to actionable steps to achieve future goals. Ivy Slater is a professionally certified business coach, speaker, best-selling author and podcast host. After owning and operating a 7-figure printing business, having been in the industry for 20 years, she started Slater Success which focuses on developing great leaders and facilitating business growth and expansion. Ivy holds masterminds and retreats with her private client base and corporate training on communication and strategic planning. She speaks nationwide on the topics of leadership, sustainable growth, relationships and sales. Best Selling Author of From the Barre to the Boardroom Website: https://slatersuccess.com/  

This week, Ivy Slater, host of Her Success Story, chats with her guest, Anna Murray. The two talk about the evolution of women in technology, navigating inflection points in a rapidly changing industry, and the groundbreaking work Anna Murray is doing in digital transformation and quantum cybersecurity. In this episode, we discuss: How Anna Murray accidentally started her career in technology after a background in journalism, and how early technological shifts in journalism led her into tech entrepreneurship. What quantum computing is, how it differs from traditional computing, and why it matters for both security and business opportunities in the near future. When quantum computing is expected to impact cybersecurity, including Google's 2029 benchmark for "Q-Day," when current cryptography may be broken. Why it's important for business leaders and entrepreneurs to educate themselves about coming changes in technology, rather than relying solely on experts. Who should be your partners and advisors: why approachability and the ability to explain complex tech concepts matter when choosing collaborators. What it means to be an entrepreneur in tech, including the importance of taking calculated risks and knowing when to push forward or pull back, and how experience shapes those instincts. Anna Murray is a tech entrepreneur and founder of emedia LLC, a provider of software development, high-level technology consulting, and project and program management. She is also a co-founder of SIX3RO, a frontier tech startup in post-quantum, decentralized information exchange. Anna has consulted with brands worldwide on their digital strategies, served as interim CIO for Time Out NY, head of interactive at Harvard Business Publishing, and led the digital transformation at the American Association of Advertising Agencies. Anna is well known for her ability to bridge business and tech and is the author of several books, including Quantum Computing 101, A Concise Guide to the Future of Computing, Security, and the Coming Q-Day, as well as The Complete Software Project Manager (John Wiley & Sons). Website:https://emediaweb.com/ Social Media Links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anna-murray-a04255/    

This week, Ivy Slater, host of Her Success Story, chats with her guest, Jo Stewart-Rattray. The two talk about building a career as a woman in technology, overcoming barriers in male-dominated fields, and advancing global initiatives to support women in IT. In this episode, we discuss: How Jo Stewart-Rattray built her career as a woman in technology, starting from the infrastructure side and climbing the ranks despite being one of very few women in the field. What inspired the creation and global rollout of ISACA's She Leads Tech initiative, and how it responded directly to the needs expressed by women in technology focus groups. When Jo had her leadership "aha" moment, realizing the importance of encouraging and supporting other women rather than just pursuing her own success. Why building a strong support network, both at work and at home, is essential for women pursuing leadership roles in tech, and how having honest mentors has benefited Jo Stewart-Rattray throughout her career. Who has influenced and supported Jo Stewart-Rattray on her journey, including trusted mentors, professional peers, and her late husband, who provided personal encouragement and practical support, How she became involved with ISACA, what the organization does, and the mission of global professional development and support for technologists. Jo Stewart-Rattray, Director of Cyber Security & Assurance Jo has over 30 years' experience in the IT field some of which were spent as CIO in the Utilities and as Group CIO in the Tourism space, and with significant experience in the Information Security arena including as CISO in the healthcare sector. She underpins her information technology and security background with her qualifications in education and management.   She specialises in consulting in risk and technology issues with a particular emphasis on governance and security in both the commercial and operational areas of businesses. Jo provides strategic advice to organisations across a number of industry sectors including banking and finance, utilities, manufacturing, tertiary education, retail, healthcare and government.   Jo has extensive board and committee experience.  She has chaired a number of ISACA's international committees including the Board Audit & Risk Committee, Leadership Development and Professional Influence & Advocacy.  She served as an Elected Director on ISACA's international Board of Directors for seven years and was the founder of its global women's leadership initiative, SheLeadsTech and is Vice President, Communities for the Australian Computer Society.   CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Because of her involvement with the SheLeadsTech program and her rural background Jo was selected from a large number of candidates to be one of only two non-government delegates to join the official Australian Government delegation to the 62nd Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW62) held in New York in March 2018.  She returned to the UN in 2019 and again virtually spoke at UN events in 2021, 2022 and conducted a conversation circle with women from 12 nations in 2023. She has spoken on Capitol Hill during a Day of Advocacy designed to bring tech leaders together in one place to discuss issues related to women in technology and then to meet with Congress representatives and Senator's offices. Jo has an annual award established in her honour to recognise her outstanding leadership and commitment to increasing the representation of women in technology leadership.  The inaugural ISACA Oceania Jo Stewart-Rattray Award was awarded in September 2018. QUALIFICATIONS, MEMBERSHIPS AND AWARDS Master of Education Studies – Psychology Bachelor of Education in Adult Education - Psychology Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) Certified in the Governance of Enterprise IT (CGEIT) Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control (CRISC) Fellow, Australian Computer Society, Certified Professional (Cyber Security) Vice President, National Rural Women's Coalition (2023-2024) Vice President (Community Boards), Australian Computer Society (2021-2024) Director, International Board of Directors, ISACA (2012-2014, 2015-2018) National ICT Professional of the Year (iAwards 2011) Paul Williams Award for Inspirational Leadership (2014) SA Women's Honour Roll Inductee (2015) IFSEC Global Top 20 Security Thought Leaders (2019) Eugene M. Frank Award for Meritorious Performance, ISACA Global (2020) Fellow & Life Member, Australian Information Security Association, AISA (2021) https://www.linkedin.com/in/jo-stewart-rattray-gaicd-4991a12/