Soaring Stories

Hosted by Anna | Soaring Together

Business Entrepreneurship

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May 2025

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About the show

Welcome to Soaring Stories: hear from business owners who inspire you, because creative entrepreneurship is more fun when we do it together. Host Anna from @soaring.together started an Etsy shop when she was 12, which led to endless hours making greeting cards, hosting an online business event for 250 teens, and even giving a TEDx talk! Every month, she brings you behind the scenes to hear the untold stories of small business owners… the challenges, mistakes, and not-so-overnight successes. Join the community for a fresh perspective on all things design, creative writing, and confidence.

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May 22, 2025Episode 421 min

Recipe for Success: Food, Design, + Freelance Life with Lauren Hodgen of Citrus Diaries Studio

Lauren Hodgen is a passionate food enthusiast and the creative mind behind Citrus Diaries Studio. Since 2018, she has shared her journey of wellness through food, and she now works with food brands on their packaging design, website design, and recipe development. Lauren’s love for wholesome, nourishing ingredients is at the heart of her work, which is designed to inspire others to embrace a healthier, more vibrant lifestyle.✨ We talk about:The partnerships + parallels between fashion and foodTwo design trends that are most popular for food brands right nowA typical week in Lauren’s life running Citrus Diaries StudioLauren’s process for developing recipes for brandsFinding a community while working for yourselfMeasuring success and progress as a creative✨ Connect:Lauren’s website: citrusdiaries.comLauren on Instagram: @citrusdiaries.studioLauren’s Podcast: Dear Citrus DiariesLauren on Substack: Wholesome GoodsAnna’s website: annamadeblog.comBusiness email: hello@annamadeblog.com

March 27, 2025Episode 332 min

Landing Your First Internship Through a Cold Email with Copywriter Sara Noel

Sara Noel is a Website Copywriter + Marketing Mentor for business owners who want to craft compelling narratives and build better connections with their ideal clients and customers. Through copywriting, marketing strategy, and mentorship, she helps creative brands, founder-first businesses, and freelancers create, tell, and sustain their success stories—and have a whole lot of fun while doing it. In this episode, Sara goes deep into landing an internship, how she runs her six-figure copywriting studio, and her client processes.✨ We talk about:What was Sara like in high school?Cold-emailing + how Sara got her first internshipHow Sara learned to set up the process for her copywriting clientsWhy Sara decided not to build an agency and instead focus on individual clients and coursesWhat a week in the life looks like for SaraSara’s top procrastination tips!✨ Connect:Sara on Instagram: @btlcopySara’s Newsletter: Tattoo Story on Table of ContentsSara on TikTok: @sara__noelSara’s (free) Cold Pitch GuideSara’s Website: betweenthelinescopy.comSara’s Email: sara@betweenthelinescopy.comAnna’s website: annamadeblog.comBusiness email: hello@annamadeblog.com

March 1, 2025Episode 532 min

Jesslyn Rollins: From Acting + Theater To Becoming the CEO of BIOLYTE, Sold in 15,000 Locations

Jesslyn Rollins is the CEO of BIOLYTE, the IV in a bottle. She started selling BIOLYTE from the back of her Toyota Highlander to high school football teams, but over the course of eight years has transformed a product into a brand now featured in 15,000 retail locations, including QuikTrip and Circle K. Jesslyn embodies an infectious energy, igniting a spark in others to pursue their goals with confidence and relentless dedication.✨ We talk about:Why Jesslyn’s family created BIOLYTETaking action vs planning when running a companyHow Jesslyn sold BIOLYTE to high school football teamsExpanding from high school sports programs to college sports programsSweat, sport, or sick: who BIOLYTE is forThe sports drink industry and new sports drinksHow Jesslyn landed her product in KrogerThe connection between theater, improv, and salesPreparing for a big sales meeting + what goes into thatGetting feedback on her pitch deck✨ Connect:BIOLYTE on Instagram: @drinkbiolyteBIOLYTE’s website: drinkbiolyte.comAnna’s website: annamadeblog.comBusiness email: hello@annamadeblog.com

January 23, 2025Episode 429 min

What Is The Knowledge Economy? With Maxine Cunningham, Founder of Pick My Brain

Maxine Cunningham is a startup founder and creative visionary obsessed with helping people share their knowledge. She quit her job as an economist after seeing Airbnb launch and realizing the power of the knowledge economy. ✨ We talk about: What is the knowledge economy? What Maxine learned from her parents, who were both entrepreneurs Maxine’s mindset around risk Why Maxine decided to pursue economics Validating the idea for Pick My Brain Building her dream “knowledge marketplace” How Maxine decided on her pricing model Living an unconventional life ✨ Connect: Maxine’s company: pickmybrain.world Maxine on Instagram: pickmybrain_ceo Maxine on LinkedIn: @maxinecunningham Anna’s website: annamadeblog.com Business email: hello@annamadeblog.com

November 22, 2024Episode 325 min

Kelsi's Kitchen: Unpredictability In Entrepreneurship and Parallels Between Being an Entrepreneur And an Athlete

Kelsi and Cassandra are the co-founders of Kelsi’s Kitchen, a raw chocolate brand sold in Whole Foods, Sprouts, Wegmans, and more! Since 2019, Kelsi’s Kitchen has created raw truffle bites – and when I tried one (the raspberry flavor is AMAZING), I knew I wanted to chat with them to hear how they did it and how Kelsi and Cassandra are now expanding the business. ✨ We talk about: Kelsi and Cassandra as high school students Parallels between being an entrepreneur and an athlete Problem solving, challenges, and why they’re actually helpful How Kelsi and Cassandra met Cassandra’s background working in the beauty industry How Kelsi created the recipe for the chocolates Demoing and retail sales launches Days in the life of Kelsi and Cassandra ✨ Connect: Kelsi’s Kitchen on Instagram: @kelsiskitchensnacks Kelsi’s Kitchen website: kelsiskitchen.com Kelsi’s podcast: Fueled Anna’s website: annamadeblog.com Business email: hello@annamadeblog.com

October 10, 2024Episode 224 min

From Celebrity Fashion Stylist to Snack Company Founder: Ranya Batal + SIBZ

Today's episode is super special... I've been working with Ranya on the SIBZ social media accounts for a few months now and I finally get to ask her about her life before starting a snack company, and how SIBZ came to be! We also get into what celebrity fashion styling is and the similarities between that and starting a business. ✨ We talk about: How SIBZ launched nationwide in Sprouts Why Ranya and her brother started a food brand around dates How Ranya got into a fashion styling How Ranya and Tarik settled on the branding and packaging of the date bites Handling rejection in business What it’s like working with a sibling Logistics, operations, and creative aspects of the business Ranya’s go-to snacks ✨ Connect: Ranya on TikTok: @ranyabatal Ranya on Instagram: @ranyabatal SIBZ on Instagram: @getsibz SIBZ website: getsibz.com Anna’s website: annamadeblog.com Business email: hello@annamadeblog.com

September 12, 2024Episode 629 min

Moving To A New State And Working For Yourself With Livi Redden

Livi is a twentysomething podcaster, business owner, and mentor on a mission to empower the next generation. From leaving her college and full-ride scholarship to pursue her marketing company to moving to San Diego despite having never even visited, Livi has so much to share about the life of an entrepreneur. ✨ We talk about: What career path Livi was pursuing while in college Why Livi moved to San Diego How to get through the discomfort of moving to a new place where you don’t know anyone Livi’s priorities in entrepreneurship Figuring out when to pivot and try something new Quitting certain high school sports The structure of Livi’s business Monetizing your passions – is it worth it? Livi’s current side projects ✨ Connect: Livi on Instagram: @liviredden Livi on TikTok: @liviredden Livi’s website: liviredden.com Livi’s podcast: Today is the Future Anna’s website: annamadeblog.com Business email: hello@annamadeblog.com

August 9, 2024Episode 520 min

Shirah Benarde: One Conversation Can Change Everything

From idea to appearing on Shark Tank to now having sold more than 600,000 units, Shirah Benarde is the founder and CEO of Nightcap and a Forbes 30 under 30 alum. Her products are sold in Forever 21 and the brand has worked with over 150 universities to get Nightcap in the hands of students. Shirah is incredibly inspirational to young business owners and I’m so excited to have her on Soaring Stories today!! ✨ We talk about: How Shirah invented Nightcap Looking for opportunities (and finding them!) Going for it and walking up to the CEO of Forever21 at a conference Talking with Paris Hilton and giving her a NightCap Being face-to-face vs sending a cold email to someone One piece of business advice Shirah disagrees with Having patience in business How Shirah measures the sales and marketing outcomes ✨ Connect: Shirah on TikTok: @shiraah Shirah on Instagram: @shirahbenarde NightCap website: nightcapit.com Shirah’s podcast: In Your Dreams Join the Soaring Together newsletter: join.soaringtogether.org Anna’s website: annamadeblog.com Business email: hello@annamadeblog.com

June 20, 2024Episode 452 min

From Freelancer for REVOLVE to CEO And Investor With Lacey Madison: Hiring And Firing, Social Media Content, And Confidence

Lacey Madison is a 4x business owner and marketing consultant on a tenacious mission to build a billion-dollar portfolio by creating, shaping & funding the next generation of female-founded unicorns industry agnostically. In everything she does, Lacey aims to put more money, knowledge, tools and networks into the hands of women to help them join the elite 1%. Today, we talk about how she’s grown from freelancer to CEO and investor in the last decade. ✨ We talk about: How Lacey got her start with content marketing for brands like REVOLVE Building personal brands in 2024 Standing out in a saturated market when job searching or building a business How to uncomplicate creating content Why Lacey closed her marketing agency Steady and gradual growth over the last 10 years Lacey’s broadcast channel on Instagram Prioritizing content creation Balancing school and work Cultivating a mindset of confidence What Lacey looks for when investing in a company The quick + easy explanations for VC and angel investing Who is on Lacey’s team? ✨ Investing when you’re under 18: From Lacey: This is mostly for crowdfunding purposes but you can essentially ask your parents to open a custodial investment account on your behalf. This means they essentially "manage" your investments but you are able to start investing and your investment trust is the owner of the shares you buy in a company! Super exciting stuff. Crowdfunding sites: Venture Crowd Kickstarter Indiegogo Bircher Finding Angel Investment Deal Flow OR Finding Angel Investors Invest with Cherub Angel List Airtree ✨ Connect: Lacey on Instagram: @laceymadison_ SIR. BUSINESS ACADEMY™ for founders looking to develop & grow their startup idea: sirconsulting.co/sir-business-academy SIR. VENTURES™ for founders looking to fund their business idea or need Board Members + Advisors: @sir.ventures Anna’s website: annamadeblog.com Business email: hello@annamadeblog.com

June 7, 2024Episode 319 min

Maya French, 2-Time Founder, On Starting Koia and Happypop!

Maya is an incredible entrepreneur who’s founded not one, but two brands. Today, she joins me to talk about all things building businesses, recovering from failure, and building awareness for a new company. She’s also part of the Forbes 30 under 30 class of 2019 and has been in the CPG space for over 10 years. ✨ We talk about: Maya’s transition from her first company (Koia) to her second (Happypop!) What was Maya like as a teen? Having coworkers try and test her drink How Maya and her co-founder split up the responsibilities for Happypop! How has the CPG industry changed? Maya’s plans and goals for the company ✨ Connect: Maya on Instagram: @mayajfrench Happypop! on Instagram: @drinkhappypop Happypop! website: drinkhappypop.com Join the Soaring Together newsletter: join.soaringtogether.org Anna’s website: annamadeblog.com Business email: hello@annamadeblog.com