Wings of Inspired Business

Hosted by Melinda Wittstock

BusinessInterviews guests

Website RSS feed LinkedIn Instagram

Episodes

1000

Latest episode

Aug 2026

Language

About the show

Women entrepreneurs are changing the game of business, stepping into our authentic feminine power and growing consciousness to start and scale great companies. Listen to Wings to learn from women who've "been there, built that" with 7, 8 and 9-figure businesses, even billion dollar Unicorns. You'll learn how to manifest the mindset, mojo and money to create, grow and scale a business aligned with what makes your heart sing. Wings is hosted by Melinda Wittstock, a 4-time serial entrepreneur, tech visionary and award-winning journalist. Melinda focuses where personal and business growth meet, her insightful interviews with inspiring female founders and businesswomen providing actionable tips to help listeners to real and tangible results. These innovators, influencers, and investors all share their success secrets, epiphanies, and practical advice on how to get the confidence, connections and capital so you too manifest the success of your dreams in life and in business.

Listen to episodes

60 recent

September 8, 2026Episode 99853 min

Let's Get Visible: Entrepreneur Laura Henson on the Power of Authentic Communication and Community Building

Laura Henson is the Founder and CEO of HVM Communications, a boutique strategic communications agency focused on brand storytelling, media relations, and thought leadership for founders, women leaders, and mission-driven organizations. For 20 years, Laura has built a reputation as a trusted voice at the intersection of capital, visibility, and women's leadership. Laura is also an active investor across venture capital, private equity, and early-stage companies, with a portfolio that reflects her conviction that capital and communications are equally powerful tools for lasting change. She serves on the Executive Board of How Women Lead and the Goodnation Foundation. She is a contributing author at Inc.com and was named to the KNOW Women list of 100 Women to KNOW in America in 2025, and 100 Women to KNOW in New York in 2026. 🔑Key Takeaways🔑 ✨Visibility is NOT optional: How to overcome persistent challenges women face in gaining visibility as entrepreneurs, including imposter syndrome, and how to make visibility part of your strategy from day one because it drives business opportunities, secures funding, and establishes credibility and influence. In a competitive landscape, it's vital not to leave your narrative up to others. ❤️Authenticity builds trust: In a world awash with performative content and skepticism, showing up authentically (not just "talking the talk" but "walking the walk") helps you stand out and create a lasting impact. Learn how. 💸 Invest in women: Whether it's supporting women-led ventures with capital or amplifying each other's expertise or buying each other's products and services, creating a virtuous cycle advances everyone. It's not charity; it's a path to creating more wealth, opportunity, and impact for all women. 🎯 Practical Steps for Founders: Build your networks on platforms like LinkedIn and join IRL communities because face-to-face interactions often turn into lasting business opportunities; set aside specific times each week to connect with new people, and focus on building trust. 💡 Leverage AI the Human Way: AI can help streamline busywork and free time for deeper, more authentic relationships, but it needs human oversight, critical thinking, and personal voice so you can stand out from the crowd with authenticity and build trust. 🎙️Subscribe to Wings and get the full Show Notes at https://bit.ly/Wings998 More about Laura at HVM Communications Get a 15-minute Zoom to brainstorm your visibility: DM Laura on LinkedIn.

September 1, 2026Episode 99745 min

Building a Marketplace of Time: Entrepreneur Karen Ahrens on Unlocking Value with an App for Time Trading

Karen Ahrens is the CEO and co-founder of Wait4me, a Los Angeles-based platform reimagining how people can reclaim time. It's the first "time broker" allowing people to buy and sell time, connecting clients with trusted, local personal assistants while also offering a concierge-style service tier. Karen's journey has been anything but linear — from working in industrial parts departments in Wisconsin to leading global digital transformation and CRM initiatives for Fortune 100 brands as a President within Omnicom. A former expat in Paris, street photographer, single mother, and avid trail runner, Karen finds balance on the canyon trails of the Santa Monica Mountains while building a company rooted in the idea that time is the most valuable commodity. 🔑Key Takeaways🔑 ⌚Time is a Commodity: the value of time as a tradable asset, and how individuals can "buy" time from those with more flexibility—think simplifying errands, admin tasks, or even organizing your space so you can focus on what only you can do. 🛠️Niche Matters in Marketplace Platforms: How to build a successful peer-to-peer marketplace, and why specialization is vital, and how Wait4Me pairs on clients with talented local assistants for tasks that require a human touch, rather than trying to be "everything for everyone." 🤝 Human + Tech = Real Leverage: Even in a world overflowing with AI and automation, there's a growing demand for services that can't be done by bots—whether it's event prep, nuanced market research, or trusted, in-person support. 🎙️Subscribe to Wings and get the full Show Notes at https://bit.ly/Wings997 More about Karen at Uwait4me https://uwait4me.com/

August 25, 2026Episode 99657 min

SEO in an AI World: Entrepreneur Vivienne Wagner on How AI Is Transforming SEO and Discoverability for Entrepreneurs and Small Businesses

Vivienne Wagner is the Founder and CEO of Houndstooth Media Group, a boutique digital marketing agency helping mid-sized businesses turn their websites into revenue-driving assets through strategic SEO and AI-driven optimization. Known for making complex marketing concepts clear and actionable, Vivienne advises business leaders on how to position their companies to be found by both human audiences and emerging AI platforms like ChatGPT, Claude and Perplexity. Her approach increases organic visibility, drives qualified traffic, and reduces reliance on paid ads, enabling businesses to scale more sustainably. Through her SEO & AI Optimization Audit, she helps companies uncover missed opportunities, identify weaknesses, and build a clear roadmap for competing in today's evolving search landscape. 🔑Key Takeaways🔑 🎯 AI as the New Personal Referral: How AI Chatbots are becoming the new "word of mouth" so if AI isn't "seeing" you clearly, you simply won't be discovered by your ideal customers. 🔍 Get Specific, Get Found: Learn why context and nuance on your website are now critical. Businesses that take the time to describe real pain points, target audiences, and use real-world language from forums and social spaces are being matched by AI directly with their perfect-fit customers. 🧰 Practical, Actionable Tips: Make sure you optimize both website copy and image file names (e.g., "pink-blonde-curly-wig.jpg" instead of "img123.jpg"), build out robust FAQ sections mirroring real search queries and answer them conversationally and with keywords, and always attribute blog content to an actual human with expertise and authority (not just "the company"). 💡 Paid vs Organic: Why you're wasting ad dollars if core best-practice SEO is not in place. Platforms still index the same foundational elements: clear copy, keyword-rich image names, relevant title tags, and, above all, transparency about who you help and how, plus how you can cut your ad budget if you get organic right. 🚨 Avoid "Founder Blindness": Don't assume you already know your customer—let data and conversation reveal new opportunities. 🎙️Subscribe to Wings and get the full Show Notes at https://bit.ly/Wings996 More about Vivienne at Houndstooth Media Group https://houndstoothmediagroup.com/ Tune in to Vivienne's Free Webinar https://houndstooth-media-group.webinargeek.com/aio-webinar-get-your-business-found?cst=wings-of-inspired-business

August 18, 2026Episode 99549 min

Making Space Inclusive: Entrepreneur Deborah Sass on Democratizing the Space Industry Through Storytelling and Access

Deborah Sass is the CEO & Founder of SpaceVrse, a global space ecosystem connecting industry leaders, innovators, creators, and next-generation talent across more than 150+ countries. Her work focuses on shaping how space is communicated, commercialized, and culturally understood — beyond borders, sectors, and silos. Over the past 25+ years, she's worked across media, entertainment, and technology, partnering with some of the world's most influential organizations — from Mirror Group Newspapers and The Times in the UK, to TV networks including Channels 9, 7 & 10 in Australia, and later with global digital platforms such as Amazon, iTunes, Shazam, and Spotify. She is also a Co-Founder of AstroBridge Advisors, supporting companies, founders, and investors operating across space, emerging technologies, and future-focused industries — helping bridge strategy, capital, and opportunity on a global scale. 🔑Key Takeaways🔑 🚀 Who Gets to Build the Future? The case for radical diversity and inclusion in space innovation, exploration and research, and how SpaceVrse is democratizing access by making space relatable to non-experts, sharing stories and making connections for genuine accessibility in an industry that feels out of reach. 🤝 Diversity and Persistence Drive Progress: True innovation comes from collaborative, diverse teams and a refusal to accept "no". Plus, why sharing stories turns intimidating fields into accessible ones. Deborah says, "speak up, show up, and uplift those who've been historically underrepresented." 🤎Being 'The Only' in the Room: Why being an outsider is an advantage in a highly specialized industry. Fresh perspectives come from those without a traditional background and lead to groundbreaking opportunities. Learn how to overcome imposter syndrome with curiosity and a willingness to ask, "Why not?" 🌙 Cold Calls to Cosmic Ventures: Lessons learned as a woman of color over 30 years from her start driving sales off the Yellow Pages to global media executive, philanthropist, and now innovating in the space industry from a farm in Ibiza, a story of resilience, reinvention, and building across three continents. 🎙️Subscribe to Wings and get the full Show Notes at https://bit.ly/Wings995 More about Deborah at SpaceVrse https://www.spacevrse.com/

August 11, 2026Episode 99439 min

Plant Medicine: Entrepreneur Robin Swan on Ancient Herbal Wisdom for Modern Health

Robin Swan is a plant alchemist and the founder of Swan Apothecary, with over 30 years of experience in holistic health and cannabinoid medicine. Rooted in her Indigenous heritage, she blends ancestral herbal wisdom with modern cannabis science to create small-batch, full-spectrum formulations. Robin is known for integrating physical, emotional, spiritual, and mental healing into her approach to plant medicine. A passionate advocate for ethical business and patient-centered care, she champions safe cannabis integration and regulatory reform. Guided by her principle "Love All ~ Serve All," Robin brings a bold, heart-centered voice to the future of hemp and cannabis. 🔑Key Takeaways🔑 ✨Trust Your Environment (and Intuition): We often lose touch with the resources around us. From roses in your garden to practical techniques like muscle testing, there are ways to find healing in your own back garden or at a local park. 💬Avoid Health Misinformation: The supplement, peptides and cannabis industries are rife with hype and misleading information, so always ask questions, seek third-party testing, and work with trusted practitioners. Never underestimate the value of personalized knowledge over trends. 🌙The Simplicity of Healing: Whether it's about approaching health through clean water, air, and simple plant-based teas, or making business decisions, Robin shares why "the higher the truth, the simpler the action." She says our human bodies mirror the simplicity and synergy of a house plant. 🌱 Indigenous Wisdom & Ancestral Healing: Raised by matriarchs experienced in herbal traditions both from the Eastern Band Cherokee Nation and hill people of Persia, Robin shares how real healing often starts by reconnecting with the land beneath our feet and why sitting on the ground or breathing in the fresh air can be powerful medicine all on its own. 🌹 Practical Plant Magic: Roses aren't just beautiful and fragrant—they're high in vitamins C, A, and E, and their petals make a gentle tea that can help balance menstrual cycles and support the heart. Plus, why the rose (with its thorns) is a guide to operating as a female entrepreneur: "We don't need to lead with our thorns. We just need to be ever present with them and know where our weapons are" 💡 Personalized Plant Medicine: Should you be taking turmeric or ashwagandha? Learn the basics of muscle testing to determine what's right for your unique chemistry. And why you should never respond to miracle cures on social media. 🎙️Subscribe to Wings and get the full Show Notes at https://bit.ly/Wings994 More about Robin at Swan Apothecary robin@swanapothecary.com

August 4, 2026Episode 99339 min

Success Is Systems: Entrepreneur Adi Klevit on Scaling by Documenting Live Workflows for a Single Source of Truth

Adi Klevit is the leader and visionary of Business Success Consulting Group. Her 30 years of knowledge and experience as a trained Industrial Engineer, management consultant, and business executive give her a unique understanding of the challenges businesses face. Adi utilizes her practical know-how and wisdom to successfully help organizations and companies of any size dramatically improve their efficiency and performance. By leveraging her ability to understand business processes as well as people and drawing on her high-caliber skills in vital areas of personnel management, finance, and operations, Adi can help virtually any business owner achieve their goals and bring order to their lives. Adi is also the host of the Systems Simplified podcast and author of a new eBook, Stop Carrying Your Business in Your Head, the foundation for a full-length book on process documentation, knowledge transfer, and operational excellence. 🔑Key Takeaways🔑 💰 The Hidden Cost of Avoiding Systems: Learn the most common mistakes businesses make when it comes to implementing systems, including the tendency for leaders to endlessly postpone documentation, promising to do it later but never making it happen. This delay leaves organizations vulnerable, especially when key employees leave and nothing is documented to keep operations running smoothly. 💡 The Importance of a "Single Source of Truth": How to avoid the "siloing" of data and the chaos created when standard operating procedures (SOPs) are scattered across multiple platforms. It's vital team members can access a central knowledge base to maintain alignment and efficiency. 🛠️Evolving Systems: How to make sure your SOPs are "living and breathing" documents that evolve alongside innovation, new learnings and changing circumstances. Revisit and revise regularly—especially when innovating or integrating new tools like AI—so your team is always aligned and able to learn from both successes and failures. 🤟 Getting Team Buy-In: Why it's vital for founders and the C-Suite to engage teams early, understanding their needs, and making process documentation a collaborative effort. Documenting processes not only brings relief and certainty but supports innovation, learning, and employee retention. 🎯 Practical Implementation Tips: Break down the work into manageable bites (like weekly 90-minute sessions), customize for different team needs, consider creating admin dashboards, and use the right platforms for your stage and size. 🎙️Subscribe to Wings and get the full Show Notes at https://bit.ly/Wings993

July 28, 2026Episode 99241 min

Mastering Your Signature Talk: Entrepreneur Ashley Stahl on TEDx, Paid Gigs and Stage Presence

Ashley Stahl is the founder of Wise Whisper, a boutique speaking agency that's helped hundreds of clients craft their signature speeches and get placed as speakers on hundreds of BIG stages around the world, including the TEDx stage. Ashley is also the international bestselling author of YOU TURN: Get Unstuck, Discover Your Direction, Design Your Dream Career, host of the You Turn Podcast (ranked on Apple in the top 100 mental health shows in the US) and a keynote speaker with a top 100 most viewed TEDx talk on YouTube. With a master's degree from King's College London's Department of War Studies, as well as a master's in psychology from University of Santa Monica, Ashley started her career in counterterrorism and learned speech writing while working for the government. 🔑Key Takeaways🔑 🎙️🔄 The Structure of an Impactful Keynote: How the "bones" (the outline and core points), the "soul" (the message and emotional impact), and the "heartbeat" (personal stories and authenticity) come together. You need a compelling, SEO-optimized title that speaks directly to your audience's late-night Google searches, an emotionally charged opening that hooks listeners from the start, and memorable stage presence, rooted in deep preparation and authentic connection. 🚀 🤝 Why Speaking Elevates Authority: Credibility is one thing, but even better is the type of authority that brings visibility and trust to your brand in a noisy world of "infobesity" and helping you become the first name people think of in your field. Get it right and that means more revenue, leads, or paid speaking gigs. 🧠✨Don't Wait for the "Perfect Time" to Share Your Story: Procrastination and perfectionism are often disguises for imposter syndrome. It comes down to mindset and the willingness to overcome blocks as you develop stage presence, and the journey of finding your voice is transformative—for both your business and your audience. 🦄❤️Your Unique Perspective Matters: In an age of AI and content overload, it's your human story and original thinking that truly resonate and differentiate you. 🎙️Subscribe to Wings and get the full Show Notes at https://bit.ly/Wings992 More about Ashley at Wise Whisper Agency wisewhisperagency.com

July 21, 2026Episode 99148 min

Accelerate Your Business: Entrepreneur Jane Veron on Kickstarting Wealth Creation for Women Founders

Jane Veron is co-founder and CEO of The Acceleration Project (TAP), a nonprofit that empowers small business owners and accelerates their growth through bespoke advisory services, generating a ripple effect that unlocks pathways to wealth creation and economic mobility. Jane has held strategy and marketing positions at Bain & Company and American Express. She is a dedicated public servant, having previously served on the Scarsdale Village Board and as Mayor of Scarsdale, New York. She was appointed to the Investment Capital Advisory Committee (ICAC) of the U.S. Small Business Administration and now chairs the Congressional Task Force on Jobs & the Economy. 🔑Key Takeaways🔑 🚀 Scaling Beyond Survival: Most small businesses (especially those led by women and underserved entrepreneurs) find it challenging to break the million-dollar revenue mark. Learn what it takes to get to 7 figures. Hint: Don't be afraid to dream bigger, hire for results and build systems. 📈 Master Your Numbers: 75% of business owners lack a firm grasp of their financials, often due to intimidating jargon. Learn how TAP demystifies these concepts—think cash flow, margins, pricing—so you can make decisions with confidence. 🦄 Fight Perfectionism: Imperfect action and seeking feedback will carry you further than waiting for perfection. 🤝 Relationships Matter: Networks and community open doors, provide support, and are crucial in both smooth and uncertain times. ✨You're Not Alone: Assemble your "board of directors" and rely on expert support, like TAP's blend of short-burst learning, deep-dive engagement, group coaching, and ongoing community. TAP's volunteer model is a force-multiplier; its teams have delivered over 66,000 pro-bono consulting hours—valued at $15 million—enabling small business owners across the country with free, high-caliber advice. 🎙️Subscribe to Wings and get the full Show Notes at https://bit.ly/Wings991 More about Jane at The Acceleration Project

July 14, 2026Episode 99035 min

Community as a Platform: Entrepreneur Revekka Palaiologou on Redefining Social Media to Solve the Loneliness Epidemic

Revekka Palaiologou, a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, is the CEO and founder of Dion, a next-generation social platform where people initiate connections by sending each other real drinks, coffees, and experiences that can be redeemed in the real world. By turning one of the oldest social gestures, buying someone a drink, into a digital interaction, Dion converts social intent into real-world transactions, creating a new way for people and brands to connect through real-world spending. The platform has already attracted thousands of members across cities such as New York and Miami, with tens of thousands of drinks sent globally and a growing waitlist of people eager to join the network. Category-defining brands, including LVMH (Moët Hennessy), Pernod Ricard, Cîroc, Revolve, and Groot Hospitality, have already activated through Dion, drawn by its ability to reach high-spending, curated communities that no ad or influencer can access. 🔑Key Takeaways🔑 🤝 Tackling the Loneliness Epidemic: Why all that "social snacking" is contributing to loneliness rather than bringing us together, and how social platforms can be used to foster IRL connection and belonging. ❤️Building Human-Centered Social Tech: How Dion bridges digital interactions with in-person experiences. Instead of endless swiping or likes, users can invite each other for coffees, drinks, or experiences — redeemable in the real world. Plus, how AI-powered vetting assures IRL safety. 📈 Redefining Metrics for Social Success: Forget vanity metrics; learn how Dion tracks real engagement, and how brands can become participants rather than advertisers, building direct relationships with consumers through "last mile" digital-to-real experiences. 🚀 Scaling Carefully, Empowering Brands: With a waitlist of 45,000 and 15,000 active users after less than a year, growth is intentional and focused on quality. 🎙️Subscribe to Wings and get the full Show Notes at https://bit.ly/Wings990 More about Revekka at DionApp www.dionapp.com

July 7, 2026Episode 98942 min

Building Workplace Safety: Entrepreneur Anna Redmond on Where Physical Security & Digital Recognition Intersect

Anna Redmond is the Founder and CEO of Braav, where she deploys experienced Chief Security Officers into organizations that need to get serious about safety and risks. Her path into security was unconventional; she started in venture capital and studied at Harvard before shifting into the security world after recognizing how unprepared most companies are for real-world threats. She is now focused on modernizing challenge coins for military and first responders by building the first platform that gives these legacy symbols a digital twin—preserving not just the coin itself, but the story behind it. Her goal is to transform challenge coins from private artifacts into tools for identity, community, recognition, and eventually access and fundraising. 🔑Key Takeaways🔑 🚨 Security Isn't Just About Crisis—It's About Culture: Workplace violence often comes not from external threats, but from domestic situations that spill into the office, so it's vital to focus on compliance and employee wellbeing. Think of a workplace safety plan not just as risk mitigation: it's about retention and morale boosting. 🪙 Challenge Coins: A Tradition Reimagined: How Anna has innovated to create a digital platform to preserve and celebrate challenge coins, cherished tokens of recognition among veterans and first responders. She's dedicated to protecting the stories behind these coins for 30 million holders, creating "a space where valor and courage and kindness are celebrated and preserved". 💡 Not Your Average NFT: Why the platform is intentionally avoiding a spammy marketplace, by creating a space for authentic story-sharing and community connection. 🎯 Transparency in Security: Balancing surveillance tech with employee buy in by ensuring employees are included in decision-making about security practices with a visible plan so they know how and why cameras are used in workplaces. 🛡️ Is Your Business Protected? Why Anna recommends every business get an annual security assessment—even if it's just to understand vulnerabilities. 🎙️Subscribe to Wings and get the full Show Notes at https://bit.ly/Wings989 More about Anna at Braav.co More about the challenge coins at allcoin.braav.co