Reinventing Yourself After Rock Bottom: Leap Academy's Ilana Golan on Starting Over

Imagine seeing kids carrying everything they own in trash bags. That was the reality Jacqueline Tatelman, Co-Founder, CEO, & Creative Director of STATE Bags, set out to change. This week on Superwomen, she shares how she went from running a nonprofit summer camp to building a brand with a mission to help families in need. But the journey was far from easy. From defective products to financial struggles and managing a major rebrand, Jacqueline gets real about what it truly takes to build a brand with purpose. And why setbacks are just part of the process. Make sure you are subscribed to Superwomen Media for all new episodes: http://youtube.com/channel/UCRCOD9Zzsc0U-5yLpSU2yKw?sub_confirmation=1 Episode Guide: (00:00) Meet Jacqueline Tatelman, CEO of STATE Bags (02:05) How it started with a nonprofit summer camp (05:29) Evolving into a brand with a mission to help kids (08:13) Dealing with defective products and financial struggles (10:17) Funding a business with no outside investment (11:45) Becoming CEO and learning to trust herself (17:59) The strategy that helped them survive the pandemic (22:59) Evolving and changing brand perception (25:52) Why solving problems keeps her moving forward (29:17) Balancing work and self care  (31:34) The importance of trusting your instincts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What happens when you stop playing it safe and start trusting your instincts? This week on SUPERWOMEN, I had a great conversion with Cameron Rogers about her fearless decision to follow an unconventional career path – from private chef to health coach to now hosting the popular podcast, “Conversations With Cam.” Find out how she built a successful brand by taking a risk and following her gut. Cameron shares her “say yes to everything once” approach to finding your passion and how being true to herself turned that passion into a profitable business. If you’re feeling stuck or looking to make a big change, you’ll love her insights. Episode Guide:  (00:00) Meet Cameron Rogers (03:35) Leaving corporate life and evolving into a content creator (05:57) Learning to podcast through trial and error (08:42) Trusting your gut and embracing a flexible career path (10:53) The unseen effort that goes into content creation (12:34) Time management and the impact of a supportive team (15:53) Prioritizing friendship and why it matters (21:32) Making space for self-care and a social life (23:03) The importance of an equal partnership in marriage (28:34) Dealing with online criticism (30:03) The challenges of staying authentic (33:59) The “Morning After” Superwomen edition (36:36) Reflecting on the future and staying true to your values Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

She sold nearly 200,000 earrings. Then she had to figure out what came next. In this episode of SUPERWOMEN, I had a great conversation with Hart Hagerty, founder of shophart.com. She had an “it” product early on, then realized that just wasn’t enough to build a lasting brand. Here’s how she reinvented her business while staying true to her personal vision. We dive deep into the “messy middle” of building a business that every entrepreneur understands: Losing your creative instincts, leading while exhausted, feeling pressured to stay visible, and so much more. If you know the struggle, you’ll relate hard to this episode. Brought to you by Shophart.com. Episode Guide:(00:00) Meet Hart Hagerty + welcome to the new studio (02:33) How Shanghai inspired Hart’s venture into jewelry (04:15) Selling nearly 200k earrings and moving beyond her hit product (04:34) Creating jewelry with meaning and an attainable price (08:49) Inside the messy middle of growing a business (10:18) Why Hart decided to “get weird” again creatively (13:15) Why great founders believe they can figure anything out (15:17) Trusting intuition over credentials (18:16) How to build a stylish jewelry stack (21:59) Why minimalism is out and personal style is back (25:42) The story behind the Vesta case (28:21) If you don’t have a good product, you don’t have a business (33:11) Finding an authentic way to be the face of the brand (35:40) The reality that modern brands run on content Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

She landed her dream job in television—only to lose it three months later and be forced to completely reinvent her career. This week on SUPERWOMEN, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Lilliana Vazquez, Emmy-winning host, style expert, and social media mogul. For years, E! News was her dream job… until it wasn’t. So, what did she do next? Lilliana opens up about why she left, the wild ride of transitioning to content creation, and how she flipped the script on what success really means. If you're navigating a big change or thinking about reinventing your own career, this one’s for you. Episode Guide: (00:00) Meet Lilliana Vazquez (03:00) Balancing motherhood and work during the pandemic (06:00) Lilliana on losing her dream job at E! News (07:30) The moment she realized she was chasing a “dying job” (09:30) Transitioning into the creator economy (12:00) The difference between TV work vs. social media work (16:00) Why fostering community was the key to her success (18:00) From 100k to 500k followers in 18 months (21:00) Why you should speak to your audience like a close friend (25:00) The importance of understanding your own content (28:00) Why losing followers can be a good thing (32:00) Advocating for entrepreneurial learning in colleges (34:00) What Lilliana learned from younger influencers (38:00) The power of community building Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

She gave herself 6 months to turn her hobby into a business. 10 years later, she’s building a snack empire. This week on SUPERWOMEN, I hung out with Rachel Mansfield, content creator, cookbook author, investor, and co-founder of the clean kids snack brand cadootz!. After getting fired because of her growing Instagram presence, Rachel bet on herself and began a decade-long entrepreneurial climb.  We discussed building multiple revenue streams and why she starts a new project every 2-3 years. Whether you’re building a business or wondering if you should take the leap, Rachel’s slow growth mindset will inspire you to trust the long game. Episode Guide: (00:00) Meet Rachel Mansfield (03:43) The six-month risk that changed everything (08:32) Why slow growth is better than instant fame (11:09) Only doing what brings joy and letting the rest go (14:29) The myth of doing it all alone (21:17) Why launching a cookbook is harder than writing one (25:29) The three-year journey to create the cleanest cracker Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Creativity isn’t just for designers. It’s a core business skill. This week on SUPERWOMEN, I sat down with Natalie Nixon, PhD, renowned creativity strategist, President of Figure 8 Thinking, and author of The Creativity Leap. We discuss why creativity is at the heart of successful business strategies and how it can transform the way companies lead, adapt, and innovate. Natalie shares her unique journey from academia to entrepreneurship and breaks down her Wonder-Rigor method for turning creative thinking into a strategic advantage. Prepare to rethink everything you thought you knew about innovation and leadership. Episode Guide: (00:00) Meet creativity strategist Natalie Nixon, PhD (05:39) How creativity drives innovation in business (07:42) The "What If, So What, Now What" framework (11:29) Why working with limited resources enhances creativity (14:46) How to revive creativity in larger organizations (27:54) The importance of hiring people with different skill sets Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It took Ilana Golan losing her life’s work to realize the one thing that was missing from her career: herself.  This week on SUPERWOMEN, Leap Academy’s Ilana Golan shares how building a robust personal brand helped her overcome bad business partners and fluctuating trends, ultimately leading her to build one of the fastest-growing startups in the country.  Ilana also shares how experience trumps education, why multi-faceted portfolios can shield you from so many problems, and the one trait successful people have in common. Episode Guide:  (00:00) Meet Ilana Golan, Founder & CEO of Leap Academy (04:07) The problem with higher education (07:17) Losing everything and starting from scratch (12:26) How to build a multi-faceted career (18:25) The art of “leaping” and building a brand as insurance (24:04) Why coaching works (28:24) Putting passion to work (30:11) The one thing successful people have in common Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Picture this: you are 7,000 miles away from home, in a new country with no familiar faces. How do you build a sense of community? You start with food. This week on SUPERWOMEN, I’m joined by Shiza Shahid, Co-Founder of the Malala Fund and Our Place. She shares how her activism shaped her journey as an entrepreneur, and how food became a powerful tool for connection and belonging. This belief laid the groundwork for Our Place—a brand built around the idea that cookware can be more than just functional; it can bring people together. We discuss how Shiza challenged the cookware industry, the balance between profit and purpose, and the impact of community-driven growth on her brand’s success. Things to listen for: (00:00) Meeting Shiza Shahid, Co-Founder of Malala Fund and Our Place (02:29) Shiza’s bold career pivots (03:21) Rebuilding connection as an immigrant (10:39) Scaling without losing community (14:58) What it’s like building a company with your spouse (17:48) Letting go of fear and imagined risk (25:08) Choosing sustainable growth over hype (31:16) Why non-toxic materials are non-negotiable Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s easy to think your ambitions are gone forever once you’re a parent, or worse, after a divorce. Suddenly, “having it all” feels unrealistic, if not impossible. But Sarah Armstrong is proof that ambition doesn’t just disappear. It evolves. This week on SUPERWOMEN, I sat down with Sarah, VP of Global Marketing Operations at Google, and author of The Art of the Juggling Act and  The Mom’s Guide to a Good Divorce. She shares what it looked like to keep her career moving through motherhood, divorce, and single parenting, without losing herself in the process. We talk about choosing what matters, setting boundaries that actually hold up, and letting go of pressure that does more harm than good. If you’ve ever wondered whether your goals still fit the life you’re living now, this one’s for you. Episode Guide: (00:00) Meet Sarah Armstrong, Author And Global Executive (01:46) The shock of early motherhood and realizing there is no blueprint(05:51) The power of saying no without guilt (07:48) Finding her new normal as a single mom  (09:51) Why pulling back does not end your trajectory (13:24) Setting firm boundaries that actually work (20:48) Redefining what having it all really means (25:58) What Sarah would tell her younger self about motherhood & ambition Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most people think better skin comes from more products and pricier treatments. But Jordan Harper knew better. With no safety net, she built Barefaced to simplify skincare down to what actually works.  This week on SUPERWOMEN, I’m joined by Jordan Harper, Nurse Practitioner and Founder of Barefaced, to talk about what she learned after years of treating patients in cosmetic dermatology and why she decided to build a brand rooted in trust, not trends. Jordan shares what the skincare industry gets wrong, how relationships drove early growth, and the lessons that came from expensive mistakes. Episode Guide: (00:00) Meet Jordan Harper, Founder & CEO of Barefaced (01:35) What years of patient care taught her about skincare (07:47) Serving people before selling anything (08:55) The unsexy growth strategy that paid off (18:01) The tradeoffs behind success (19:16) When hiring “experts” goes wrong (25:30) Why Barefaced has a 90% customer retention rate (30:30) The four essential products for any skincare routine Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices