In this inspiring episode of The Mentor Files, host Monica Royer sits down with Audra Lawlor, the founder of Girl Meets Dirt, a renowned jam company based on Orcas Island. Audra shares her remarkable journey from the fast-paced world of banking in New York City to the serene, community-driven life on Orcas Island. She discusses the pivotal moments that led to her decision to leave her high-powered career, the challenges and rewards of starting a business in a close-knit community, and the deep p...
Jul 18, 2024•44 min•Season 3Ep. 13
In this inspiring episode of The Mentor Files, host Monica Royer sits down with Jesse Draper, founding partner of Halogen Ventures, to dive deep into the world of venture capital and the unique challenges and successes of investing in female-founded companies. Jesse shares her journey from actress to venture capitalist, her approach to reshaping the future of family through strategic investments, and the importance of changing the narrative for the next generation of female entrepreneurs. Join u...
May 30, 2024•45 min•Season 3Ep. 12
In this episode of The Mentor Files, Monica Royer sits down with Kara Goldin, the founder of Hint Inc., the company known for its delicious fruit-infused water. Kara shares her remarkable journey from cutting soda out of her diet to creating a multi-million dollar business while balancing the roles of CEO and mother of four. Episode highlights: [03:00] The Birth of Hint Water: Kara discusses her early influences, including her father's work in the health food industry and her own career in tech,...
May 09, 2024•46 min•Season 3Ep. 11
In this powerful episode of The Mentor Files, Monica Royer sits down with Winnie Park, the CEO of Forever 21, to discuss her remarkable journey in the world of fashion and retail, and the personal trials that have shaped her into the leader she is today. Winnie shares insights into her approach to innovation, the importance of an entrepreneurial mindset, and leading with authenticity. She also opens up about her background, the influence of her family, and the challenges of balancing motherhood ...
Apr 18, 2024•50 min•Season 3Ep. 10
In this episode of The Mentor Files, host Monica Royer sits down with Michelle Shetty and Suzie Carroll, co-founders of The Fitz, a medical aesthetic and wellness practice based in Chicago. They discuss the journey from nursing in a clinical setting to entrepreneurship, the importance of aligning values, and the challenges and rewards of starting and growing a successful business. They also touch on the emotional aspects of entrepreneurship, work-life balance, and the significance of self-care i...
Apr 04, 2024•41 min•Season 3Ep. 9
In this episode of The Mentor Files, host Monica Royer sits down with Danielle Brown, the plant-based living advocate and creator behind Healthy Girl Kitchen. They delve into Danielle's personal journey from a culinary enthusiast to a wellness entrepreneur, her transition to a plant-based diet during college, and how she turned her passion for healthy, easy-to-make food into a thriving social media presence and a successful business. Key Points Discussed: Danielle's early love for cooking and ho...
Feb 27, 2024•42 min•Season 3Ep. 8
Welcome to another episode of The Mentor Files . Today, we are thrilled to have a conversation with an exceptional human and guiding light for many, Irene Ortiz-Glass. In this episode: Discovering Coaching: Irene shares her journey into life coaching, beginning with her early career and moving into an eventual senior partner role. The Impact of Early Experiences: Irene opens up about her personal life, discussing the profound impact of her childhood experiences on her path to becoming a coach. S...
Feb 13, 2024•43 min•Season 3Ep. 7
In this episode of The Mentor Files, host Monica Royer sits down with Dr. Sonya Bhole, a breast imaging radiologist at Northwestern Medicine. They dive into a candid conversation about finding one's purpose, the importance of embracing every step of the journey, and how inspiration can strike from the most unexpected places. Key Takeaways: - Inspiration can come from the most unexpected places, including outside of your professional field. - It's important to embrace the journey and not just foc...
Dec 12, 2023•29 min•Season 3Ep. 6
In this episode, we dive deep into the challenges and triumphs of feeding a family. Catherine McCord, the brain behind Weelicious and the author of four game-changing cookbooks, shares her journey from culinary school to becoming a mom, and the creation of Weelicious, a platform designed to empower parents in the kitchen. Catherine emphasizes the importance of making mealtime fun, approachable, and nutritious, especially when dealing with picky eaters or managing a busy schedule. In this episode...
Dec 05, 2023•33 min•Season 3Ep. 5
In this inspiring episode of The Mentor Files, host Monica Royer sits down with entrepreneur Manuela Zoninsein, founder and CEO of Kadeya. Manuela delves into the challenges and rewards of motherhood, her experiences living abroad, the importance of building a supportive network as a parent and business owner and her vision to visionary entrepreneur determined to eliminate single-use beverage containers with her innovative company, Kadeya. The sisters-in-law discuss: • Manuela discusses the miss...
Nov 28, 2023•39 min•Season 3Ep. 4
In this deeply impactful episode of The Mentor Files, host Monica Royer sits down with Navyn Salem, the founder of Edesia Nutrition, a non-profit organization on a mission to end malnutrition globally. Navyn shares her journey from being a mom of four to spearheading a global initiative that produces life-saving food products for malnourished children. Tune in to hear Navyn's story of resilience, innovation, and her vision of a world where every child has access to the nutrition they need to thr...
Nov 21, 2023•38 min•Season 3Ep. 3
Join host Monica Royer as she sits down with Brian Bloom, her co-founder of Monica + Andy, to discuss the evolution of their business partnership, the behind-the-scenes of building a brand, and the personal growth they've experienced along the way. From starting as a bachelor with no ties to baby clothes to becoming a father and an integral part of a thriving company, Brian shares his unique perspective on entrepreneurship, parenthood, and the value of a strong business partnership. The business...
Nov 14, 2023•22 min•Season 3Ep. 2
Andy Dunn co-founded Bonobos, a revolutionary menswear e-commerce brand. But, behind the scenes, he was struggling with bipolar disorder. “Here’s the real story of what was going on, which I think was a heckuva lot more interesting than selling pants on the internet,” he tells host Monica Royer—who also happens to be his sister. In this episode of The Mentor Files, Monica Royer sits down with her brother, Andy Dunn, to discuss how his journey with mental health influenced his entrepreneurial exp...
Nov 07, 2023•34 min•Season 3Ep. 1
I'm thrilled to announce that The Mentor Files is back for a new season and we're digging deeper than ever before into the story behind the story. As the founder of Monica and Andy , I'm always eager to connect our community with sources of all kinds of inspiration. Join me this season as we hear from entrepreneurs, thought leaders, and experts who are all changing the game. Join Monica as she interviews her brother, and founder of Bonobos, Andy Dunn in episode 1. The Mentor Files returns Novemb...
Nov 01, 2023•32 sec0
Learn how Nona Lim started her restaurant-quality food brand, what she brought from her fencing career, and why a great team needs full transparency. "I've always had a passion for food, even if I'm not professionally trained." - Nona Lim. Learn more about this episode of The Mentor Files with Monica Royer at www.monicaandandy.blog/89
Nov 11, 2020•27 min
Listen in to learn how to create a powerful partnership with your investors, and what Sarah Woelfel wants to see in successful CEOs and her own clients. "We specifically designed CULT Capital to be differentiated in the VC growth equity space, and we're really set on creating a new and different investor paradigm." - Sarah Woelfel. Learn more about this episode of The Mentor Files with Monica Royer at www.monicaandandy.blog/88
Sep 16, 2020•40 min
Listen in to learn how Annie Lawless started her lifelong love of health and wellness, and why she doesn't hesitate when opportunity knocks. "I've always just been so fascinated with nutrition, ingredients, and the correlation between what we consume and how we look and feel." - Annie Lawless. Learn more about this episode of The Mentor Files with Monica Royer at www.monicaandandy.blog/87
Sep 09, 2020•44 min
Learn how David Heath and his team innovated on a clothing staple, the unfair advantages he had as an entrepreneur, and how he built his team at Bombas. "You should never lose the humility that it can all turn around in a moment." - David Heath. Learn more about this episode of The Mentor Files with Monica Royer at www.monicaandandy.blog/76
Sep 02, 2020•36 min
Listen in to learn how Miyoko went from nothing to an in-demand business in less than 6 months, and how she has transformed through her business career. "I don't do all this market research and figure out how to do it right, I just start doing things, and that's how I've done everything in my life." - Miyoko Schinner. Learn more about this episode of The Mentor Files with Monica Royer at www.monicaandandy.blog/78
Aug 26, 2020•43 min
Listen in to learn how Sarah Flint made the transition from wholesale to DTC, how she broke into the luxury shoe industry, and how she developed her team. "There was this huge space in the market for shoes where women wouldn't have to choose between fashion and the functional features that they wanted." - Sarah Flint. Learn more about this episode of The Mentor Files with Monica Royer at www.monicaandandy.blog/74
Aug 19, 2020•40 min
Learn how Gregg Renfrew uniquely combined the philosophies of DTC and retail, how she developed her products, and who has inspired her the most in her life. "I started to draw parallels between things that were detrimental to the Earth and things that were detrimental to our bodies." - Gregg Renfrew. Learn more about this episode of The Mentor Files with Monica Royer at www.monicaandandy.blog/86
Aug 05, 2020•38 min
Listen in to learn how Nicole Gibbons went from medical school to marketing to entrepreneur, and what she wishes she knew before she started her business. "I saw this huge pain point around the homeowner when it comes to choosing color." - Nicole Gibbons. Learn more about this episode of The Mentor Files with Monica Royer at www.monicaandandy.blog/85
Jul 15, 2020•36 min
Listen in to learn what inspired Holly to start Supergoop, why she focused on a slow scaling of her brand, and what she considers when she takes in capital. "I think the decision making becomes easier when you're always focused on your mission and why you exist as a brand." - Holly Thaggard. Learn more about this episode of The Mentor Files with Monica Royer at www.monicaandandy.blog/58
May 27, 2020•36 min
Listen in to learn the beginnings of True Botanicals, where Hillary focused her efforts in the beginning, and the importance of finding the best team. "It was really important to us to be able to deliver results without toxins." - Hillary Peterson. Learn more about this episode of The Mentor Files with Monica Royer at www.monicaandandy.blog/65
May 20, 2020•41 min
Learn what makes the perfect pitch when raising capital, how to create your best team, and what Jesse has learned from her work in venture capital. "Sometimes you're betting on a founder with a two or three person team, and sometimes you're betting on a sole founder. It's really about the people, so I try to get to know them however I possibly can." - Jesse Draper. Learn more about this episode of The Mentor Files with Monica Royer at www.monicaandandy.blog/62
May 13, 2020•43 min
Listen in as Simon Huck talks about what inspired JUDY, how his previous PR business helped him with his new one, and what it takes to be an entrepreneur. "60% of American families have no emergency plan in place at all." - Simon Huck. Learn more about this episode of The Mentor Files with Monica Royer at www.monicaandandy.blog/84
May 06, 2020•38 min
Like many of us, Rachel Drori was trying to fit healthy, nutritious meals into her busy life...but was frustrated by the lack of options. In 2015, Rachel decided to take matters into her own hands: She founded Daily Harvest, a direct-to-consumer brand blending health and innovation to send delicious superfoods straight to your freezer so you can prepare and enjoy them at your convenience. The business is one of the fastest growing nutritional food brands in the U.S. With more than 100,000 subscr...
Apr 29, 2020•32 min
Listen in as Josh talks about aligning your goals and visions with your team, from your advisory board, to your company, and to your investors. "There was no master vision or strategy ten years ago." - Josh Goldin. Learn more about this episode of The Mentor Files with Monica Royer at www.monicaandandy.blog/83
Apr 01, 2020•46 min
Listen in to learn how Amanda Zuckerman cofounded Dormify with her mom, the unfair advantages this gave her, and what she learned along the way. "Energy and networking is a huge part of my success." - Amanda Zuckerman. Learn more about this episode of The Mentor Files with Monica Royer at www.monicaandandy.blog/82
Mar 25, 2020•38 min
Listen in as Alexa talks about the secret to keeping a good work life balance as an entrepreneur, and how she became the serial entrepreneur she is today. "Inspired Capital helps pay it forward to entrepreneurs who want to build great things in the future." - Alexa Von Tobel. Learn more about this episode of The Mentor Files with Monica Royer at www.monicaandandy.blog/81
Mar 18, 2020•31 min
