Tag Archive for: female founders

Female Founder: Jessie DeLowe, co-Founder of How You Glow

When it comes to health and wellness, we all need to learn a thing or two from LA-based, Jessie DeLowe. Jessie has an impressive pedigree of talents – Certified Yoga Instructor and Art Therapist Jessie De Lowe provides life-enhancing, enriching, and enlightening experiences to clients across the globe (and a new mom to a gorgeous baby girl, to boot!). We had a chance to sit down with her in an candid Q & A you don’t want to miss.

Name:

Jessie De Lowe

What’s manifestation? 

Manifestation happens when you align with your true, highest self, and are able to experience reality from that expansive, abundant lens. Your perceived limitations are lifted and your energy flows effortlessly, yet intentionally, towards whatever you choose.

Where does your glow come from?

My glow comes from love, nature, and deep appreciation for simple day to day pleasures.

What does your typical Beauty Routine look like?

I take a glorious shower every morning to wake up all my senses, always ending with a  refreshing cool rinse. I use Playa natural hair care (shampoo and conditioner), exfoliate my body and then lather on True Botanicals body oil. For my face, I am obsessed with Goldfaden MD eye cream and Vintner’s Daughter Face oil. I use a tinted sunscreen by Well People and then RMS living luminizer for extra glow.

How do you balance work, mom, wife, life (tips / rituals)? 

I make sure to take time for myself, taking care of my body and my own needs so that I can be a well of positive energy to offer others. Regularly practicing yoga is the ticket for me.  Luckily I have chosen a career path that lends itself well to living a balanced life and I am really grateful for the way my work and personal life so seamlessly coexist. I have been able to include my daughter Amelie in some of my work lately which has been so much fun and I hope to continue more of that.

My husband Brian and I prioritize each other and our relationship before all else— even before our daughter, because if our union isn’t super strong then that is going to negatively effect everything else. We have at least one date night every week and are both really present for one another, expressing gratitude regularly and never taking each other for granted.

What was the last book you read? 

These days I am obsessed with cookbooks!! I am determined to be an incredible chef like my own mom, so I have been studying! I just got this book “Once upon a Chef” and the recipes look awesome.

Perfect day…is? 

On a tropical beach with my family, in and out of the warm ocean, eating fresh fruit and fish tacos, massages, yoga, outdoor bath tub, lots of kissing and snuggling. Watching the sunset while drinking a beautiful bottle of wine. Amelie sleeping peacefully through the night. Bam.

When you need to destress what is your go to?

Aromatherapy (lavender) and the ocean!

What is your favorite room in your home?

My bathroom might be my favorite. It has a large meditation area that used to be a cedar tub. Its funky and fabulous.

What advice can you offer new moms? 

Get outside as often as you can. Sometimes leaving the house feels like a daunting task, but I found that Amelie was always so much less fussy once she got some fresh air. And it makes you feel less isolated and more like yourself.

Best advice anyone has given you is…? 

Don’t sweat the small stuff. First thing you do when you wake up, is? Say thank you for another day. I have a gratitude practice every morning where I lay with one hand on my belly and one on my heart and just appreciate the blessing of a brand new day. I visualize the day unfolding and set my intentions for what I would like to attract and what energy I want to radiate throughout my day.

Last thing you do before you go to sleep, is? 

Tell my husband I love him and thank him for loving me.

Any tips/advice for people looking to start their own business that you’ve learned along the way? 

If you want to start something, start telling people! The more you talk about it, the more opportunities for it to come into fruition will arise.

Jessie is the co-founder of the highly acclaimed blog, How You Glow, and Manifestation coach.

 

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Female Founder: Lunya Founder, Ashley Merrill


Lunya is reinventing sleepwear for women, by women. Their collections are made up of advanced fibers that some specific sleep problems – hot sleepers, cold sleepers, etc. Each piece is designed to work together and meet the individuals sleeping needs. We love everything and the fabric just melts you. We sat down with founder, Ashley Merrill, to find out more about her inspiration and what it’s like to balance work, life and kids.

GFMD: Why Lunya?

Ashley: I could relate to the problem because I was someone who was wearing my husband’s shabby old clothes in an effort to be comfortable, so I was passionate about solving it.  I had a strong vision for what I believed was possible and felt there could be a great business to be had in solving it well. 

GFMD: Where does your inspiration come from?

Ashley: We’re inspired by women.  By who they want to be, what their lives look like, how they live, etc.  Our designs celebrate women’s bodies by trying to make them comfortable in thoughtful ways (smooth seams, stay put straps, etc), flatter them (as women we always put on the clothes and make sure we FEEL our best with them on prior to releasing them), and that work with how they live (cell phone pockets so you have your hands free, clothes that can transition in and out of the home as needed, etc).

GFMD: What does your typical Beauty Routine look like?

Ashley: Arcona face wash, Vintner’s Daughter Serum, and Skin Clinical Lotion on top, essentially i use a mild cleanser and try to lock in vitamins and moisture.  As for makeup Im pretty minimal.  In a big day I will softly line my eyes with dark brown shadow and I will top with Benefit They’re Real mascara. 

GFMD: How do you balance work, mom, wife, life (tips / rituals)?

Ashley: I try to think about life in the macro vs on the day to day so I don’t make myself crazy – though I still do lol.  I look at my whole life as a pie graph of time and goals.  I think about how much I want to give to the different slices and realistically when that needs to happen and then I try to allocate my time somewhat in that way.  When I think about buckets like: travel, kids, relationship, friends, career, and community, I can evaluate what really matters and make decisions from that place.   As an example, my husband and I travelled a lot prior to kids and we will get lots of that later in life but kids and career are timely and at this point in my life they dominate my time.  I think this is ok and it gives me some peace about saying no to friends and other things that I would be interested in for the short term.  Balancing between husband, kids and career is a moving target and I wish I knew the right balance.  There is no perfect solution but I do my best to correct when things feel off.

GFMD: What was the last book you read?

Ashley: I wish that I could say some fabulous Historical Fiction because I love those but generally I dont have a lot of time so if I do read it tends to be business related.  I recently read Insanely Simple and found it to have some killer marketing insights.  I loved the metaphor they used for clairity of message…. If someone throws one ball at you then you catch it but if they throw you three balls at once its hard to catch any.  It was  powerful point about being simple with your message.

GFMD: Perfect day…is?

Ashley: Waking up to two kids in great moods.  Heading to work and feeling the energy and passion of the team when they are in sync and working well together.  Then I would workout at lunch… maybe even go for a run along the beach (we work close to the beach).  Then I would work a little more and then pick up my kids from school   Hang with them for snack and then maybe have a little time to myself for art, organizing, or whatever.  Make dinner (I love cooking) and then have a family dinner.  This isnt my actual life but Im happy that my perfect day and my actual days arent miles apart.  I hope that means Im on the right track 😉 

GFMD: When you need to destress what is your go to?

Ashley: I find TV these days to be so quality and immersive that its great to transport me out of a stressful situation. I love Handmaids Tale, This is Us, The Americans, etc. 

GFMD: What is your favorite room in your home?

Ashley: The living room because it has amazing windows.  Oddly its a room Im rarely in.  Perhaps it also appeals to me because its kind of a novelty for me to be in it?

GFMD: Favorite Lunya product?

Ashley: This changes often but I love the Lunya silk robe right now.  Every silk robe looks the same and we were determined to build something better.  I think we really landed on something special and it looks great in and out of the home.

GFMD: What advice can you offer women in the workplace?

Ashley: Find a company you love where you think you can add value and work every day to do that.  Every company will have its pros and cons but focus more on what you can do to make a difference than on all the things the company could do better.  You will be happier, more empowered and more valuable to the company.

GFMD: Best advice anyone has given you is…?

Ashley: Be the change you want to see in the world.  I dont recall where I heard this but its basically my life motto at this point.

GFMD: First thing you do when you wake up, is?

Ashley: Read my email.  I know that virtually every wellness blog says this is a bad Idea.  What can I say, Im a flawed person and I love knocking out email first thing int he morning while my house is still quiet.

GFMD: Last thing you do before you go to sleep, is?

Ashley: Put my cold feet on my husband so he can warm them up.  I dont know how men can run so much hotter but its like sleeping next to an inferno.

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Female Founders: Angela Sutherland & Evelyn Rusli, Co-Founders of Yumi


Sharing in our passion for ingredients and high-quality products, we sat down with Angela and Evelyn, co-founders of our favorite organic baby food delivery company, Yumi, to learn more about the importance of food, their inspiration and daily lives.
Angela Sutherland & Evelyn Rusli, Co-Founders of Yumi

Why Yumi?

Angela: When I was pregnant with my daughter, I learned about how important nutrition is during the first 1,000 days. It was really eye-opening to read all these clinical studies that showed how every bite matters during this window, and can have long-last effects on their physical, neurological and metabolic development. During this time, I was also baffled by the lack of of innovation in the baby food space. The market really hasn’t changed in decades. The options at the grocery store just fell short in every way.  What they were calling “meals” were full of sugar, or fructose, and had been sitting on the shelves for months if not more than a year — it just didn’t feel right.

Most important food group(s) to begin with and when with babies?

Angela: Starting babies with vegetables, instead of all fruit, is so important in terms of establishing your baby’s taste preferences. Fruits have many benefits, but if a baby starts off eating only fruit purees, their taste preferences are going to lean towards the sweeter side, which can cause problems down the road when you’re trying to get your babe to eat their veggies and other whole foods.

What does your typical Beauty Routine look like?

Angela: I try to keep things really simple, especially in the mornings when I am rushing to get the kids fed, dressed, and out the door.  I splash my face with lukewarm water to rinse the night away, then slather on some of my favorite moisturizer from La Mer, which also has SPF 50.

In the evenings, I’ll use Goldfaden’s “Doctors Scrub” which makes my skin feel baby smooth.  I’ll follow that with a hydrating serum from True Botanicals – it really calms my skin after a long day, and the relaxing scent gets me in the mood for sleep.  I also rub a bit of my favorite balm from Nucifera on my lips and cuticles (…pro tip, this stuff also doubles as a great antidote for a diaper rash!)

If I’m going into an important meeting or have dinner plans, I try to glam things up a little bit and add in a few coats of a go-to-mascara, I have a few from Lancome and Estee Lauder, and a lip stain. Right now Yves Saint Laurent’s Tatouage Couture Liquid Matte Lip Stain is in high rotation.

How do you balance work, mom, wife, life (tips / rituals)?

Angela – It’s a constant struggle, but I try to just focus on one day at a time.  On Sundays, I always look at my schedule for the week ahead and prioritize where I’m needed most.  If there are family functions or appointments I need to take with my kids, I’ll adjust my workday to accommodate; and conversely, if I have a particularly hectic work week or have to travel, I’ll try to squeeze in lots of quality time with the family.

I don’t think it’s ever possible to perfectly “balance” all the things that we as moms have to juggle in life.  I do the best I can to maximize my time at work and at home, and if it starts to feel like one thing in particular is draining a lot of my time and energy, I’ll take a step back and try to reset.  Someone once gave me a great piece of advice, which is: follow the things that give you energy. If you are dragging yourself to a workout class or social event simply because you feel like you ‘have to’, but it feels miserable, reevaluate how you could be spending that time.  Conversely, if you feel drained spending too much time cooped up at home and feel like you need to be out in the world, traveling, socializing, exercising…then make it happen! Find what brings you positive energy, and lean into that.

What was the last book you read?

Angela – “The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck” by Mark Manson.  It’s all about reshaping your perspective on what it means to live a happy life, how to build grit, and it helps you prioritize the things that truly add value to your life.  It was recommended to me by a few friends, and I have to admit the title itself grabbed my attention right away.

Evelyn – “Shoe Dog” by Phil Knight.   It was fascinating to read such intimate details about the beginnings of Nike, and all the trials, tribulations, sacrifices he faced in order to build a successful brand.  As an entrepreneur now myself, I can identify with so many of those tough decisions he faced in those early days, and there were countless takeaways that I can take and apply to running our company today.

Perfect day…is?

Angela – ok here goes:

  • Both of my children sleep in until a reasonable hour, and I magically wake up before they do

  • I have enough time to prep and cook an amazing healthy breakfast, and we all have time to sit and enjoy it as a family

  • I had already packed their lunches the night before …check!

  • I have time to get showered and dressed at my own pace, and my skin looks perfect so I skip makeup completely

  • Everything is clicking at work; our customer base is growing, employees are happy and all deadlines for the day are met with a breeze

  • I have time to hit a Barry’s class and get in a good sweat

  • I make it home in time to give the kids a bath and put them to bed

  • I cook dinner with my husband Angus and we enjoy it with a bottle of one of my favorite red wines

  • When I check my emails before bed, they are all friendly messages and there are no fires to put out

So basically, a day in which there is just always more time!  😉

When you need to destress what is your go to?

Evelyn – for me, I always find that if I can reset my diet and find time for a workout, I feel instantly less stressed.  No matter what kind of day I’m having, if my diet is clean and I’ve had a chance to sweat, I know that I can tackle any issue with a clear, focused head.

What is your favorite room in your home?

Angela – I love being in the kitchen; it’s truly the heart of my home and it’s where everyone tends to gravitate.  I am happiest when my family and friends are gathered around the island, sharing stories and enjoying good food together.

Favorite Yumi Recipe?

Evelyn – I love our Mango Tango blend.  It’s a mix of really delicious ingredients like chia, coconut milk, flax, dates, banana, cinnamon and mango – it not only tastes delicious, but the balance of nutrients gives me sustained energy all morning.  I grab one almost every day, following my morning workout.

Where does your inspiration come from?

Angela – I’m inspired everyday from the personal messages we get from our customers – women who tell us that our product has changed the way they think about feeding their baby and has made their lives so much easier. Even on the most challenging days, when I feel confused and sometime question everything we’re doing, hearing that positive feedback always brings things back into perspective and reminds me why we built this company in the first place.

First thing you do when you wake up, is?

Evelyn – take my dog Raja for a walk and catch up with my team on Slack.

Angela – my kids get up before me, so I usually wake up to little voices telling me they are ready for breakfast!  The first thing I do is give them a kiss and start getting them ready for the day.

Last thing you do before you go to sleep, is?

Angela – I try to catch up on the news of the day and usually read the New York Times cover to cover.  I know most people don’t like to read the headlines right before bed because it stresses them out, but since my mornings are usually so hectic, I actually find it relaxing to catch up on all the news before I officially end my day.

Evelyn – Read in bed with my fiance with our silly puppy, Raja, cuddling at our feet.

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