EmpowerHER Business Podcast

Hosted by Linette Cottrell/Coach/Accountant/Writer

Business Entrepreneurship

Website RSS feed

Episodes

114

Latest episode

Jun 2026

Language

About the show

Welcome to the EmpowerHER Business Podcast — the unapologetic space for Black women entrepreneurs building bold businesses and beating the odds in their FIRST FIVE years. Here, we talk about the real journey: money, mindset, and the messy middle that nobody warns you about. From beating the 97% failure rate to mastering your cash flow and building a business that lasts, this is where you’ll find the clarity, confidence, and community to keep going. In our weekly episodes, host Linette Cottrell — accountant, coach, and advocate for Black women founders — brings you bold conversations, survival strategies, and legacy-driven insights designed to help you thrive beyond year five. ✨ If you’re ready to ditch scarcity thinking, step fully into your CEO role, and build the empire you deserve — you’re in the right place. 🔔 Subscribe now and join a movement of Black women changing the face of entrepreneurship. #BlackWomenInBusiness

Listen to episodes

60 recent

June 15, 202611 min

Women & Money Pt.2: You Can't Scale or Grow What You Emotionally Avoid

Your business may be growing—but are you growing with it?You can't sustainably scale what you continue to emotionally avoid.In this Soul Spa reflection, Linette explores what happens when a business begins expanding while the founder remains disconnected from the financial leadership required to support that growth. Many women entrepreneurs work hard to attract more clients, increase revenue, and create greater impact, yet still avoid the financial conversations, decisions, and responsibilities that growth demands.This isn't about intelligence or capability. Often, emotional avoidance around money stems from fear, uncertainty, inherited beliefs, or a lack of exposure to financial leadership. But when the business grows, the numbers grow too. Revenue, expenses, cash flow, pricing, profit, and planning all require attention. Sustainable growth happens when the entrepreneur grows alongside the business and develops the confidence to lead financially—not just creatively or operationally.In this episode:• Why emotional avoidance can become a hidden barrier to business growth• What happens when business revenue increases but financial leadership doesn't• How money avoidance creates stress, confusion, and decision fatigue• The connection between financial confidence and sustainable scaling• A gentle invitation to step into your role as a financial leaderThis episode is part of The Soul Spa — short solo pauses you can return to whenever you need a moment of grounding.#WomenAndMoney #MoneyMindset #FinancialLeadership #WomenEntrepreneurs #BlackWomenEntrepreneurs #BlackWomenInBusiness#BusinessGrowth #ScalingYourBusiness #MoneyMindsetForWomen#WomenAndWealth #FinancialConfidence #BusinessFinances #EntrepreneurMindset #WomenInBusiness #WealthBuilding #FinancialLiteracy #BusinessStrategy #MoneyManagement #EmpowerHERBusinessPodcast #SoulSpaSeriesSupport the show✨ Support the Podcast ✨ Become an EmpowerHER Insider for $10/month → HERE🌐 Visit website: www.empowerherbusiness.us 📧 For speaking & sponsorships: linette@empowerherbusiness.us 📱 Connect on Instagram: HERE @empowerher_biz Together, we’re helping women entrepreneurs thrive beyond Year Five!

June 10, 202644 min

Got a Business Idea? Here's How to Make It Real

Have a business idea you can’t stop thinking about—but keep talking yourself out of it?What if the idea sitting in your spirit is the very thing you're meant to build?In this episode of the EmpowerHER Business Podcast, host Linette Cottrell sits down with Lisa Ascolese, widely known as "The Inventress," to discuss what it really takes to turn an idea into a successful business. Lisa shares her journey as a Black female inventor, entrepreneur, author, and founder of multiple ventures, revealing how she overcame doubt, fear, and setbacks to bring her ideas to life.Whether you're still sitting on an idea or you're ready to launch your next big move, this conversation will inspire you to stop second-guessing yourself and start taking action.In this episode, you'll learn:How to stop talking yourself out of your business ideasThe mindset shifts needed to move from idea to executionWhy fear, doubt, and perfectionism keep entrepreneurs stuckPractical lessons from a successful Black female inventor and entrepreneurHow to build momentum and bring your vision to life👉 Follow the podcast and share it with a sister who needs this conversation. We’re on a mission to help Black women make it through the first five years in business — and thrive far beyond them.#EmpowerHERBusinessPodcast #BlackWomenInBusiness #BlackWomenEntrepreneurs #WomenEntrepreneurs #BusinessStartup #EntrepreneurMindset #InventorLife #ProductDevelopment #TheInventress #SmallBusinessOwner #StartupSuccess #WomenInBusiness #BusinessGrowth #IdeaToExecution #FounderJourney #Entrepreneurship #BusinessTips #PersonalDevelopment #WomenEmpowerment #BlackBusinessOwnerSupport the show✨ Support the Podcast ✨ Become an EmpowerHER Insider for $10/month → HERE🌐 Visit website: www.empowerherbusiness.us 📧 For speaking & sponsorships: linette@empowerherbusiness.us 📱 Connect on Instagram: HERE @empowerher_biz Together, we’re helping women entrepreneurs thrive beyond Year Five!

June 8, 202610 min

Women & Money Pt.1: Why Women Fear Money and Avoid Finances

Money can feel heavy before we even look at the numbers.If finances make you anxious, avoidant, or overwhelming—you’re not alone.In this Soul Spa reflection, we begin a gentle conversation around women and money: the fear, hesitation, and disconnect many women entrepreneurs feel when it comes to finances. For generations, women were rarely included in conversations around ownership, investing, wealth building, or financial leadership. That distance can still show up today through avoiding pricing conversations, hesitating around financial planning, or feeling disconnected from the numbers in your business.This episode offers a softer perspective: fear around money doesn’t mean you’re bad with finances or behind in business. Sometimes it reflects inherited messaging, limited exposure, or a relationship with money that never had room to fully grow. You are allowed to learn financial confidence, build wealth, and create a healthier connection with money in your own way.In this episode:Why money can feel emotionally heavy for women entrepreneursThe historical roots behind financial fear, ownership, and wealth buildingHow avoiding numbers can quietly impact business decisions and growthA gentle reframe around money confidence and financial leadershipWhy building wealth can begin with awareness—not pressureThis episode is part of The Soul Spa — short solo pauses you can return to whenever you need a moment of grounding.#WomenAndMoney #MoneyMindset #WomenEntrepreneurs #BlackWomenInBusiness #FinancialLiteracyForWomen #WomenAndWealth #WealthBuilding #BusinessFinances #MoneyMindsetForWomen #WomenInBusiness #FinancialConfidence #BusinessGrowth #MindsetShift #BlackWomenEntrepreneurs #MoneyHealing #FinancialWellness #EntrepreneurMindset #WomenWithMoney #EmpowerHERBusinessPodcast #SoulSpaSeriesSupport the show✨ Support the Podcast ✨ Become an EmpowerHER Insider for $10/month → HERE🌐 Visit website: www.empowerherbusiness.us 📧 For speaking & sponsorships: linette@empowerherbusiness.us 📱 Connect on Instagram: HERE @empowerher_biz Together, we’re helping women entrepreneurs thrive beyond Year Five!

May 20, 20261 hr 2 min

The Hidden Barriers Blocking Black Women Entrepreneurs

Black women entrepreneurs deserve more than inspiration — we deserve access, visibility, wealth, and real opportunities to thrive. In this powerful conversation, Shaheewa shares what it truly takes to build sustainable impact, advocate for Black businesses, and lead without losing yourself in the process.From federal litigation to founding the Broward County Black Chamber of Commerce, Shaheewa opens up about leadership, economic empowerment, supplier diversity, access to capital, and why creating opportunities for Black entrepreneurs is community work that changes generations.In this episode, we discuss:Why access and visibility still remain major barriers for Black entrepreneursThe importance of advocacy, certifications, and supplier diversity for business growthHow leadership and healing intersect in entrepreneurshipWhat Black women need to know about building wealth and long-term sustainabilityThe power of community, connections, and economic empowerment👉 Follow the podcast and share it with a sister who needs this conversation. We’re on a mission to help Black women make it through the first five years in business — and thrive far beyond them.#BlackWomenInBusiness #BlackEntrepreneurs #WomenInLeadership #BusinessGrowth #Entrepreneurship #BlackWealth #LeadershipDevelopment #WomenEntrepreneurs #SmallBusinessOwner #EconomicEmpowerment #SupplierDiversity #AccessToCapital #BusinessPodcast #EmpowerHER #BlackBusiness #VisibilityMatters #HealingAndLeadership #WomenWhoLead #CommunityBuilding #StartupJourneySupport the show✨ Support the Podcast ✨ Become an EmpowerHER Insider for $10/month → HERE🌐 Visit website: www.empowerherbusiness.us 📧 For speaking & sponsorships: linette@empowerherbusiness.us 📱 Connect on Instagram: HERE @empowerher_biz Together, we’re helping women entrepreneurs thrive beyond Year Five!

May 6, 20261 hr 15 min

Startup Reality for Black Women Entrepreneurs

Everyone shares the highlight reel of entrepreneurship — but not the breakdowns behind it. Amber Epperson opens up about the real journey, the mistakes, and the mindset shifts that changed everything.Host Linette Cottrell talks with Amber Epperson, Founder and Scent Strategist of The Scented Vine, about building a business at the intersection of storytelling, science, and scent — while navigating money trauma, self-doubt, and the emotional ups and downs most entrepreneurs hide.In this episode, we discuss:The truth about the first five years of business no one talks aboutHow money trauma silently impacts business decisionsMindset shifts that helped Amber move forward after mistakesBuilding a brand rooted in storytelling, science, and sensory experienceLearning from failures instead of masking the struggle👉 Follow the podcast and share it with a sister who needs this conversation. We’re on a mission to help Black women make it through the first five years in business — and thrive far beyond them.Episode Resources:EmpowerHER Business Podcast, Host - Linette CottrellWebsite: http://www.empowerherbusiness.us Success Journal: https://tinyurl.com/46bu7kp4 Shop: https://www.empowerherbusiness.us/category/ehb-her-merch Speaking & Sponsorships: linette@empowerherbusiness.us Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/empowerher_biz/ Amber Epperson | The Scented VineWebsite: http://www.thescentedvine.com LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/amber-epperson Let’s Thrive—together!#BlackWomenEntrepreneurs #WomenInBusiness #EntrepreneurMindset #MoneyMindset #BusinessJourney #StartupStruggles #FirstFiveYears #EntrepreneurReality #WomenEntrepreneurs #BusinessGrowthTips #MindsetShift #FinancialHealing #BlackWomenInBusiness #SmallBusinessOwner #AuthenticEntrepreneurship #EmpowerHERPodcast #BusinessPodcast #WomenSupportingWomen #FounderStorySupport the show✨ Support the Podcast ✨ Become an EmpowerHER Insider for $10/month → HERE🌐 Visit website: www.empowerherbusiness.us 📧 For speaking & sponsorships: linette@empowerherbusiness.us 📱 Connect on Instagram: HERE @empowerher_biz Together, we’re helping women entrepreneurs thrive beyond Year Five!

May 4, 20264 min

Lazy or Misdirected Pt.4 FINAL: Execution, Not Perfection

What if the thing blocking your results isn’t effort—but completion?Progress doesn’t come from perfect ideas. It comes from finished ones.In this reflective Soul Spa moment on the EmpowerHER Business Podcast, Linette closes the series by shifting the focus from perfectionism to execution. Many Black women entrepreneurs in their first five years stay in cycles of refining, adjusting, and preparing—but never fully completing or releasing their work. And without completion, results can’t fully land.This final reflective pause invites you to examine where “almost done” has become a pattern. When you choose completion over perfection, momentum returns. Visibility increases. Results begin to match your effort—not because you worked harder, but because you finally finished.In this Lazy or Misdirected Part 4 episode, you’ll experience:A final reframe of perfectionism vs completion Insight into why unfinished work delays results A grounding check-in on where you’re stuck in “almost done” cycles Permission to release imperfect work into the world Encouragement to prioritize completion over constant refinement This episode is part of The Soul Spa — short solo pauses you can return to whenever you need a moment of grounding.From Busy to Building free download: https://forms.gle/HDmMg8wXWn72tVPg6#EmpowerHERBusinessPodcast #SoulSpa #LazyOrMisdirected #DoneIsBetterThanPerfect #Perfectionism #BlackWomenEntrepreneurs #BlackWomenInBusiness #WomenInBusiness #EntrepreneurMindset #BusinessGrowth #ExecutionMatters #ProductivityMindset #MindfulEntrepreneur #Overthinking #ImperfectAction #BusinessClarity #WomenEntrepreneurs #SustainableSuccess #AlignedAction #FinishWhatYouStartSupport the show✨ Support the Podcast ✨ Become an EmpowerHER Insider for $10/month → HERE🌐 Visit website: www.empowerherbusiness.us 📧 For speaking & sponsorships: linette@empowerherbusiness.us 📱 Connect on Instagram: HERE @empowerher_biz Together, we’re helping women entrepreneurs thrive beyond Year Five!

April 27, 20265 min

Lazy or Misdirected Pt.3: Stuck in Perfectionism?

You’re doing the work—but waiting until everything is perfect to move forward.Perfectionism may be the quiet reason your results feel delayed.In this reflective Soul Spa moment on the EmpowerHER Business Podcast, Linette explores how perfectionism can disguise itself as productivity. For many Black women entrepreneurs in their first five years, the desire to get it “just right” can slow momentum, delay visibility, and quietly stall growth. The effort is there—but the results take longer because nothing feels ready enough to release.This reflective pause invites you to notice where perfectionism may be holding your progress hostage. Sometimes the issue isn’t laziness or lack of discipline—it’s over-refining, overthinking, and over-preparing. This moment helps you soften the pressure and return to aligned, forward movement.In this Lazy or Misdirected Part 2 episode, you’ll experience:A reframe of perfectionism as delayed momentum Insight into how over-preparing slows business growth A grounding check-in around fear of getting it wrong Permission to move forward before everything feels perfect Encouragement to prioritize progress over perfection This episode is part of The Soul Spa — short solo pauses you can return to whenever you need a moment of grounding.From Busy to Building free download: https://forms.gle/HDmMg8wXWn72tVPg6#EmpowerHERBusinessPodcast #SoulSpa #LazyOrMisdirected #Perfectionism #PerfectionismInBusiness #BlackWomenEntrepreneurs #BlackWomenInBusiness #WomenInBusiness #EntrepreneurMindset #ProgressOverPerfection #BusinessGrowth #Overthinking #ImperfectAction #MindfulEntrepreneur #EntrepreneurWellbeing #BusinessClarity #WomenEntrepreneurs #SustainableSuccess #AlignedAction #DoneIsBetterThanPerfectSupport the show✨ Support the Podcast ✨ Become an EmpowerHER Insider for $10/month → HERE🌐 Visit website: www.empowerherbusiness.us 📧 For speaking & sponsorships: linette@empowerherbusiness.us 📱 Connect on Instagram: HERE @empowerher_biz Together, we’re helping women entrepreneurs thrive beyond Year Five!

April 22, 20261 hr 6 min

Reinventing Life For Black Women

What happens when you give yourself permission to reimagine your life? In this inspiring conversation, three brilliant women share how travel, art, and courageous transitions unlocked their purpose and power.Host Linette Cottrell sits down with Tania P. Brown, Bianca Nelson, and Christine D. Johnson to explore how bold decisions, creative expression, and global experiences can transform the way women build their lives, careers, and impact.In this episode, you’ll learn:How Tania P. Brown helps women 40+ create a corporate escape financial plan and reimagine life beyond the 9–5How Bianca Nelson turned a life-changing solo trip into the Learning To Live Movement, creating global travel opportunities for students of colorHow Christine D. Johnson uses mixed media art, poetry, and storytelling to inspire inner healing and personal reflectionWhy travel, creativity, and intentional transitions can unlock new levels of courage, clarity, and purposeHow Black women entrepreneurs can reimagine success on their own termsIf you’re in your first five years of business and feeling the pull toward something bigger, this episode will remind you that reinvention is always possible.Follow the podcast and share it with a sister who needs this conversation. We’re on a mission to help Black women make it through the first five years in business — and thrive far beyond them.#EmpowerHERPodcast #BlackWomenEntrepreneurs #WomenInBusiness #ReimagineYourLife #TravelAndTransformation #CreativeEntrepreneur #CorporateEscapePlan #WomenWhoTravel #PurposeDrivenLife #BlackWomenInBusiness #EntrepreneurMindset #WomenSupportingWomen #CreativeHealing #TravelForGrowth #WomenEmpowerment #ArtForWellness #BuildYourLegacy #BlackWomenLead #EntrepreneurJourney #WomenWithVisionSupport the show✨ Support the Podcast ✨ Become an EmpowerHER Insider for $10/month → HERE🌐 Visit website: www.empowerherbusiness.us 📧 For speaking & sponsorships: linette@empowerherbusiness.us 📱 Connect on Instagram: HERE @empowerher_biz Together, we’re helping women entrepreneurs thrive beyond Year Five!

April 20, 20264 min

Lazy or Misdirected Pt.2: Effort That Doesn't work

You’re putting in the effort—but the results still aren’t showing up.In Part 2, we go deeper into why hard work alone doesn’t always lead to growth.In this reflective Soul Spa moment on the EmpowerHER Business Podcast, Linette continues the conversation around feeling “lazy” when results don’t match your effort. For many Black women entrepreneurs in their first five years, the instinct is to push harder. But sometimes the real issue isn’t effort—it’s direction, alignment, and where your energy is being invested.This deeper pause invites you to examine what you’re doing, why you’re doing it, and whether your actions actually support the outcomes you’re expecting. When effort is misdirected, exhaustion grows while progress stalls. This moment helps you reconnect with intentional, aligned movement instead of constant pushing.In this Lazy or Misdirected Part 2 episode, you’ll experience:A deeper look at effort that doesn’t translate into results Insight into misdirected energy in business growth A grounding pause to reassess your current focus Permission to shift direction without self-judgment Encouragement to choose aligned, sustainable action This episode is part of The Soul Spa — short solo pauses you can return to whenever you need a moment of grounding.From Busy to Building free download: https://forms.gle/HDmMg8wXWn72tVPg6#EmpowerHERBusinessPodcast #SoulSpa #LazyOrMisdirected #WomenInBusiness #BlackWomenEntrepreneurs #BlackWomenInBusiness #EntrepreneurMindset #BusinessClarity #WorkingHardNotSeeingResults #AlignedAction #EntrepreneurGrowth #MindfulEntrepreneur #BusinessStrategy #ProductivityMyth #SustainableSuccess #BusinessAlignment #WomenEntrepreneurs #ClarityAndCalm #HolisticEntrepreneurship #WorkSmarterNotHarderSupport the show✨ Support the Podcast ✨ Become an EmpowerHER Insider for $10/month → HERE🌐 Visit website: www.empowerherbusiness.us 📧 For speaking & sponsorships: linette@empowerherbusiness.us 📱 Connect on Instagram: HERE @empowerher_biz Together, we’re helping women entrepreneurs thrive beyond Year Five!

April 13, 20266 min

Lazy or Misdirected? Pt.1: Hard Work That Doesn't Pay Off

You’re putting in the work—so why aren’t the results showing up?This Soul Spa pause explores the difference between being lazy and being misdirected.In this reflective Soul Spa moment on the EmpowerHER Business Podcast, Linette gently reframes a common experience for Black women entrepreneurs in their first five years: working hard but not seeing the growth you expected. When outcomes don’t match effort, it’s easy to assume you’re not doing enough. But often, the issue isn’t laziness—it’s direction. Your energy may be going toward strategies, tasks, or expectations that no longer align with where your business needs to go.This grounding pause invites you to step back, release self-judgment, and reassess where your effort is flowing. Sometimes relief comes not from doing more—but from redirecting what you’re already doing.In this Soul Spa episode, you’ll experience:A reframe of “laziness” as possible misalignment or misdirection Insight into why effort doesn’t always equal results A grounding check-in to reassess where your energy is going Permission to pivot without questioning your work ethic A gentle reset to support clarity and aligned action This episode is part of The Soul Spa — short solo pauses you can return to whenever you need a moment of grounding.From Busy to Building free download: https://forms.gle/HDmMg8wXWn72tVPg6#EmpowerHERBusinessPodcast #SoulSpa #WomenInBusiness #BlackWomenEntrepreneurs #BlackWomenInBusiness #EntrepreneurMindset #BusinessClarity #AlignedAction #EntrepreneurGrowth #MindfulEntrepreneur #BusinessStrategy #NotLazyJustMisdirected #WomenEntrepreneurs #ProductivityMyth #SustainableSuccess #BusinessAlignment #EntrepreneurWellbeing #ClarityAndCalm #HolisticEntrepreneurship #WorkSmarterNotHarderSupport the show✨ Support the Podcast ✨ Become an EmpowerHER Insider for $10/month → HERE🌐 Visit website: www.empowerherbusiness.us 📧 For speaking & sponsorships: linette@empowerherbusiness.us 📱 Connect on Instagram: HERE @empowerher_biz Together, we’re helping women entrepreneurs thrive beyond Year Five!