Badass Women in Business

Melissa Anderson on Trusting the Nonlinear Path, Taking Risks, and Staying Grounded

Send us Fan MailWhat if the safest path is not actually the safest one?In this episode, Aggie and Cristy sit down with Melissa Anderson, President of Search.com, to talk about building a career by trusting instinct over convention. Melissa shares how she turned bold, uncertain choices into major opportunities, from moving to Ireland after college with no job, to scaling startups, leading innovation, and navigating acquisitions.This conversation goes beyond business. Melissa opens up about decision making, risk, leadership, spirituality, and why staying grounded is critical for success. She shares how optimism and self trust have shaped her path and why women need to stop putting themselves last if they want to lead powerfully.If you have ever questioned your path or felt pulled toward something bigger, this episode will challenge how you think about risk and success.What you will learn in this episode: How to make decisions without letting fear lead Why the “safe” path is often not the safest How to navigate and scale ideas without a clear roadmap Lessons from acquisitions and deals that fell through How AI is reshaping business and opportunity Why grounding yourself leads to better leadership and decisions The importance of self trust, optimism, and intuitionKey Takeaway: When you stay grounded and connected to yourself, you make better decisions and stop missing what matters.Guest: Melissa Anderson President of Search.comConnect with Melissa: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-anderson-2007721/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/melissa.a.anderson.31---Subscribe and ReviewIf you loved this episode, drop us a review, share it with a badass woman in your life, and subscribe to Badass Women in Business wherever you get your podcasts.Stay badass. Stay bold. Build it your way.Keep up with more content from Aggie and Cristy here:Facebook: Empowered Women Leaders  Instagram: @badass_women_in_businessLinkedIn: ProveHer - Badass Women in BusinessWebsite: Badasswomeninbusinesspodcast.comAthena: athenaac.com

From Survival Mode to CEO: How Natasha Golinsky Rebuilt Her Business, Beat Cancer, and Found a New Mission

Send us Fan MailWhat happens when life forces you to step away from the business you built?In this episode of the Badass Women in Business Podcast, Aggie and Cristy sit down with Natasha Golinsky, founder of On Purpose Projects, a custom web and e-commerce development agency based in Vancouver, Canada.Natasha has spent more than a decade building her agency without ever being a web developer herself. Along the way she learned the hard lessons most founders face: underpricing services, dealing with scope creep, people pleasing with clients, and figuring out how to actually build a profitable business.Then life threw her a curveball.After being diagnosed with stage two breast cancer, Natasha had to step away from the day-to-day operations of the company she built and trust someone else to run it. What followed was one of the hardest transitions any founder can experience: letting go of control.In this candid conversation, Natasha shares what it really looked like to hand over leadership, how she navigated the emotional side of stepping out of the business, and the unexpected loneliness many founders feel when they are no longer needed in the same way.She also dives into something many entrepreneurs rarely talk about: the connection between trauma, mindset, and business growth. Natasha opens up about how childhood experiences shaped her relationship with boundaries, conflict, and pricing, and how healing those patterns helped her transform both her life and her company.Now in a new chapter, Natasha is exploring trauma-informed coaching and thought leadership to help entrepreneurs expand their comfort zones and build businesses that support their lives instead of consuming them.In this episode, we discuss:• How Natasha built a successful web development agency without being a technical founder • The mistake that kept her business busy but unprofitable • How learning scope management changed everything • What it takes to step out of the day-to-day operations of your company • Why letting your team fail is part of real leadership • The hidden trauma patterns that impact pricing, confidence, and boundaries • Why mental health is critical for long-term entrepreneurial successConnect with Natasha Golinsky Website: www.onpurposeprojects.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natashagolinsky/---Subscribe and ReviewIf you loved this episode, drop us a review, share it with a badass woman in your life, and subscribe to Badass Women in Business wherever you get your podcasts.Stay badass. Stay bold. Build it your way.Keep up with more content from Aggie and Cristy here:Facebook: Empowered Women Leaders  Instagram: @badass_women_in_businessLinkedIn: ProveHer - Badass Women in BusinessWebsite: Badasswomeninbusinesspodcast.comAthena: athenaac.com

The Founder Mindset Most Women Are Not Prepared For with Rethink Compliance CEO Kirsten Liston

Send us Fan MailWhat does it actually take to leave a secure job and build a company from scratch?In this episode of the Badass Women in Business Podcast, Aggie and Cristy sit down with Kirsten Liston, Founder and CEO of Rethink Compliance, to talk about the reality of becoming an entrepreneur and the mindset required to build something new.Kirsten shares how she went from a career in journalism to spending more than two decades in the compliance industry. After 15 years working inside the field, she saw a clear gap in the market. Companies were frustrated with outdated compliance training, but the large vendors dominating the industry were not evolving.Instead of accepting the status quo, Kirsten decided to build the solution herself.She left her role in 2015 and launched Rethink Compliance. In the early years, she balanced multiple consulting projects while trying to get the company off the ground. At one point, she went nearly a full year without revenue, yet she never lost confidence that the market needed what she was building.Today, Rethink Compliance works with global companies and has become known for modern, engaging compliance training that actually connects with employees.In this conversation, Kirsten shares the lessons she learned while building the business, the leadership decisions that shaped the company’s culture, and the moments that forced her to rethink how to grow and scale.She also talks about why everything in business is learnable, why hiring strong leaders early accelerated growth, and why entrepreneurs need to believe that more is possible than they initially think.This episode is for anyone building a business, considering entrepreneurship, or navigating the challenges of leadership and growth.What You’ll Learn in This EpisodeHow Kirsten Liston moved from journalism into the compliance industryWhy she left a stable leadership role to start Rethink ComplianceThe early challenges of launching a company in a competitive marketHow listening to customers revealed a major business opportunityWhy hiring experienced leaders early helped accelerate growthHow COVID changed the direction of the businessThe importance of culture, transparency, and honest communication in leadershipWhy Kirsten believes that everything in business is learnableKey Quote“If you think of something you can do, you can probably do it.”Contact and ResourcesKirsten ListonFounder and CEO, Rethink ComplianceWebsitehttps://www.rethinkcomplianceco.comWebinars and Educational Resourceshttps://www.rethinkcomplianceco.com/resources?post_type=CEU+Webinar---Subscribe and ReviewIf you loved this episode, drop us a review, share it with a badass woman in your life, and subscribe to Badass Women in Business wherever you get your podcasts.Stay badass. Stay bold. Build it your way.Keep up with more content from Aggie and Cristy here:Facebook: Empowered Women Leaders  Instagram: @badass_women_in_businessLinkedIn: ProveHer - Badass Women in BusinessWebsite: Badasswomeninbusinesspodcast.comAthena: athenaac.com

Meredith Farley: From Corporate Leader to Founder and Owning Your Voice on LinkedIn

Send us Fan MailIn this episode of the Badass Women in Business podcast, Aggie and Cristy sit down with Meredith Farley, founder of Medbury, an agency that helps executives and founders turn their real world experience into credible thought leadership on LinkedIn.Meredith shares her journey from being a writing major during the 2009 financial crash to spending 13 years inside a fast growing content agency, eventually stepping into senior leadership. After being laid off just days after closing on her home, she made the decision to bet on herself and build Medbury.The conversation dives into the mindset shift from corporate stability to entrepreneurship, the loneliness and self doubt that show up in year one, and why so many capable women remain invisible despite their expertise. Meredith also breaks down her practical LinkedIn framework and explains how visibility, when done right, does not require constant posting but clarity, consistency, and courage.Key Topics Discussed • Transitioning from corporate leadership to entrepreneurship • Navigating a layoff and using it as a catalyst for growth • The mindset challenges of the first year in business • Perfectionism and why women are often harder on themselves • Gender bias and visibility in business • Building authority on LinkedIn without posting every day • Creating content that aligns with your profile and positioning • Identifying and refining your ideal client over time • Balancing enterprise clients with solopreneurs • Letting go of the myth of the “perfect business personAbout the GuestMeredith Farley is the CEO and Founder of Medbury, an agency specializing in LinkedIn strategy and content for executives, founders, and enterprise teams. With more than a decade in senior leadership roles at a global content marketing agency, Meredith combines operational experience with strategic visibility. She works with clients across the U.S. and leads a growing team focused on building credible, sustainable thought leadership.Connect with MeredithWebsite: https://www.medburyagency.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meredith-farley/ Email: meredith@medburyagency.com---Subscribe and ReviewIf you loved this episode, drop us a review, share it with a badass woman in your life, and subscribe to Badass Women in Business wherever you get your podcasts.Stay badass. Stay bold. Build it your way.Keep up with more content from Aggie and Cristy here:Facebook: Empowered Women Leaders  Instagram: @badass_women_in_businessLinkedIn: ProveHer - Badass Women in BusinessWebsite: Badasswomeninbusinesspodcast.comAthena: athenaac.com

Rebecca Todd: Building a Purpose Driven Photography Business Through Relationships

Send us Fan MailIn this episode of the Badass Women in Business podcast, Aggie sits down with Denver-based photographer and TruBlu Images founder Rebecca Todd. Rebecca shares her journey from studying photography at LSU to rebuilding her business after relocating from New Orleans to Denver.They talk about carving out a niche working with mission-driven brands and nonprofits, why relationships matter more than marketing tactics, and how Rebecca has built a sustainable creative business while navigating imposter syndrome, seasonality, and growth. Rebecca also shares powerful behind-the-scenes stories from nonprofit work and offers practical advice for creatives who want to build a business that lasts.Key Topics Discussed • Building a photography business rooted in purpose • Rebranding and niching without limiting growth • Moving a business to a new city and rebuilding relationships • Why relationships drive repeat business and referrals • Imposter syndrome and seasonality in creative work • Hiring contractors and outsourcing as a working parent • Growing a creative business beyond one-off projects • Long-term vision for scaling TruBlu Images nationallyAbout the Guest Rebecca Todd is a Denver-based photographer and the founder of TruBlu Images. A New Orleans native, Rebecca works with mission-driven brands and nonprofits to tell meaningful, value-led stories through photography. She is known for building long-term client relationships, finding a clear niche, and creating a creative business rooted in impact and sustainability.Connect with Rebecca Website: https://www.trubluimages.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trubluimages/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-todd-27216269/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/trubluimages Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/trubluimages/ Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TruBluImages---Subscribe and ReviewIf you loved this episode, drop us a review, share it with a badass woman in your life, and subscribe to Badass Women in Business wherever you get your podcasts.Stay badass. Stay bold. Build it your way.Keep up with more content from Aggie and Cristy here:Facebook: Empowered Women Leaders  Instagram: @badass_women_in_businessLinkedIn: ProveHer - Badass Women in BusinessWebsite: Badasswomeninbusinesspodcast.comAthena: athenaac.com