My First Moves

She Was Rejected On Shark Tank. Then She Used That To Her Advantage.

She Was Rejected On Shark Tank. Then She Used That To Her Advantage.

Melissa Butler knew her line of brightly colored lipsticks would be a hit. So when the beauty industry ignored her, she kept moving forward.
Stephanie Schomer | 4 min read
This Founder Built a National Business By Helping Kids Get Into College

This Founder Built a National Business By Helping Kids Get Into College

Neha Gupta's College Shortcuts helps kids and parents navigate the paperwork and stress of college admissions.
Stephanie Schomer | 4 min read
When Their Investor Bailed, These Female Founders Launched Their Company Anyway

When Their Investor Bailed, These Female Founders Launched Their Company Anyway

Riawna Capri and Nikki Lee bootstrapped a single hair salon in Hollywood. When a client requested a braiding style, the stylists decided to 'own' the trend.
Stephanie Schomer | 6 min read
How Coachella and an Old Postal Truck Helped Launch Ice Cream Brand Coolhaus

How Coachella and an Old Postal Truck Helped Launch Ice Cream Brand Coolhaus

The founders of the beloved sweet treat started small and scrappy -- and now they're ready to take over the ice cream aisle.
Stephanie Schomer | 6 min read
How This College Dropout Created a Fast-Growing But 'Culture-First' Hollywood PR Agency

How This College Dropout Created a Fast-Growing But 'Culture-First' Hollywood PR Agency

As founder and CEO of Metro PR, Tess Finkle has built a business that serves its clients and employees alike.
Stephanie Schomer | 7 min read

More From This Topic

How This Founder Built a $90 Million Skincare Business With No Beauty-Industry Experience

How This Founder Built a $90 Million Skincare Business With No Beauty-Industry Experience

To create Rodial, Maria Hatzistefanis threw herself into a crash course on beauty manufacturing.
Stephanie Schomer | 5 min read
'Fast' Furniture? This Founder Spent Years Forming Her Business Idea -- and Launched When the Timing Was Right

'Fast' Furniture? This Founder Spent Years Forming Her Business Idea -- and Launched When the Timing Was Right

To create her on-demand furniture company, The Inside, Christiane Lemieux fused cutting-edge technology with the famously slow-moving interiors industry.
Stephanie Schomer | 5 min read
How Getting Laid Off Empowered This Entrepreneur to Start Her Own Award-Winning Marketing Agency

How Getting Laid Off Empowered This Entrepreneur to Start Her Own Award-Winning Marketing Agency

Katie Witkin co-founded AGW Group after working in traditional marketing roles -- and identifying opportunities that were being overlooked.
Stephanie Schomer | 6 min read
This Founder Ditched Investment Banking to Help New Moms -- and All Women -- Feel Confident

This Founder Ditched Investment Banking to Help New Moms -- and All Women -- Feel Confident

Shamanth Pereira was a young mom who struggled to regain confidence in her body after giving birth. So she built her own solution and launched Invisibelly leggings.
Stephanie Schomer | 5 min read
The Fashion Industry Called Their Idea Crazy. Now, Their Handbag Design Is Iconic.

The Fashion Industry Called Their Idea Crazy. Now, Their Handbag Design Is Iconic.

How Monica Zwirner and Lucy Wallace Eustice of MZ Wallace built a booming and beloved brand.
Stephanie Schomer | 6 min read
How These Sisters (and Doctors) Launched a Natural Toothpaste Brand With No Funding and a KitchenAid Mixer

How These Sisters (and Doctors) Launched a Natural Toothpaste Brand With No Funding and a KitchenAid Mixer

The founders of Dr. Brite had successful careers as a dentist and a surgeon. But they walked away from what they knew to build a natural mouth care brand.
Stephanie Schomer | 6 min read
From Beauty Exec to Founder of Hard-Cider Marketplace, This Entrepreneur Shares How She Transitioned Into a Highly Regulated Industry

From Beauty Exec to Founder of Hard-Cider Marketplace, This Entrepreneur Shares How She Transitioned Into a Highly Regulated Industry

Before Annie Bystryn created Cider In Love, she spent months learning about countless rules and laws that would govern her business.
Stephanie Schomer | 6 min read
'We Built This Company List By List,' Says the Co-Founder of This At-Home Fertility Testing Startup

'We Built This Company List By List,' Says the Co-Founder of This At-Home Fertility Testing Startup

The founders of Modern Fertility want to provide all women with access to fertility tests and education. But first, they need to gain the support of both Silicon Valley and the medical industry.
Stephanie Schomer | 8 min read
How the Founder of Daily Harvest Escaped Corporate America to Build Her Successful Food-Delivery Startup

How the Founder of Daily Harvest Escaped Corporate America to Build Her Successful Food-Delivery Startup

To get the frozen-food service off the ground, Rachel Drori wore many hats -- and convinced partners that the company was bigger than it really was.
Stephanie Schomer | 6 min read
How Lauren Conrad and Hannah Skvarla Curated Handmade Goods From Around the World to Build Nonprofit The Little Market

How Lauren Conrad and Hannah Skvarla Curated Handmade Goods From Around the World to Build Nonprofit The Little Market

The co-founders traveled the globe and even worked out of a grandmother's garage to bring their fair-trade operation to life.
Stephanie Schomer | 6 min read