5 Founders On Building a Brand With a Soul

Straight from the magazine.

The further Leah and I get into building this together, navigating our way through the logistics of a business born from following a passion, I’ve marveled at the founders making it all look easy. It’s not. We know glossy magazine articles celebrating successes are won with late nights, in the face of doubts and questions, and as the result of relentless, tireless work. But there are business owners and CEOs making strides and building companies that aren’t just successful but values-driven, too. They’re the kind with strong female founders that seek to build community, innovate, and challenge the status quo. It’s what we hope to do, now and down the road.

So, I wondered, looking at the talented group of women around me: How have you carved your path, remained driven, and still stayed true to yourselves? How do you push for progress without sacrificing yourself? When so much of yourself is wrapped up in what you do, how do you disconnect, if at all, from the important work you’re doing? The answers, as you’d imagine, are nuanced. Like the women at the helm of each of these companies, the “hows” are varied, and while they reveal that setting boundaries is messy when you’re all-in on creating something you love, being clear on what you’re out to do is nonnegotiable.—HWM

With the many distractions, the noise from competitors, and the pressure to push yourself, how do you stay true to yourself as a human being while growing your business?

Jessie Gabriel, All Places: I’ve never felt more myself than I have since starting All Places. Before this, I was working for huge institutions that didn’t feel aligned with my values and where I wasn’t comfortable being myself. One of the most magical things about owning my own business has been the freedom to be who I want to be, and then to trust that the right clients will be attracted to that.

Chelsey Bartrum, Starling: I’ve found the most success in business when I’ve stayed true to myself and the things I love. That’s the best motivator and reminder for me. Learning how to block the noise and focus on my little corner of the world has been key. Any time I feel distracted, I repeat the phrase “There is room for us all.” It helps me not worry about the outside world and refocus on the things that light me up.

Janessa Leoné, Janessa Leoné: Making time for stillness. There is so much clarity in the moments that you allow yourself to be quiet and still. I love ambition and drive and the endorphin rush of accomplishing goals, but I have found that the most impactful moments in my business trajectory have been the times that I hold the practice of stillness sacred.

Jessica Rolph, Lovevery: I believe that what we are building really matters. I still experience self-doubt and spend some late nights ruminating over micro-failures and missteps. I just don’t let myself stay there. I try to ground myself by imagining the best possible outcome for Lovevery—and the families who inspire us.

Megan Papay, FRĒDA SALVADOR: FRĒDA was started with the mission to build community from the ground up. We love connecting with people that inspire us, and we love storytelling and spreading awareness about each other’s businesses, so it’s less about competition and more about how we can help each other. Because this is our North Star, it definitely keeps us in check and true to ourselves.

The idea of boundary-setting is widely talked about, but it’s harder to execute, especially when you’re building something you love and are passionate about. What do boundaries look like when you’re running your own company? How have you navigated building something you’re passionate about without letting it take over?

Jessie Gabriel: I’ve navigated it poorly. All Places was launched in October 2020, when working around the clock was suddenly available to all of us, and I went with it. Because this was my business, I did want to work on it all the time. There was always more to do, and I am ferocious when it comes to this company’s success. But there came a point where I could feel my energy levels dropping. That’s when I started committing to taking one day off a week: no work, no email. That’s morphed into taking full weekends off when I can.

Janessa Leoné: The biggest boundaries you need to set are with yourself: What are you not willing to give up to have the life and business you want? From my experience, there needs to be a daily practice about getting clear with what you want and what’s getting in your way. There are times when boundaries and routines need to be really prescriptive, and there are times when you need to take a more fluid approach that allows for self-compassion and an openness for opportunity. The real work is getting clear about what you need.

Jessica Rolph: This gets to the core of one of my life struggles: to balance my passion for work with my love for my children, and to be mindful of all the important roles I have in life as a wife, daughter, mother, CEO, and friend. There are times when I can’t shut off a work problem that I’m still processing at home, and I worry in those moments that I’m not being a present enough mother. But then the question is: What standard am I holding myself to? I think so many of us parents, whether we are working outside or inside the home, expect ourselves to be calm and present 100 percent of the time. It just isn’t realistic. I think about it more in the context of personal energy. When am I feeling energized by my life? When am I feeling drained or resentful?

Megan Papay: Setting boundaries is really difficult. We try, and in some instances we succeed. There are stretches of time where we can spend evenings without the computer open or checking our phones, but it’s always an ebb and flow. Things get really busy, and because [the company] is our baby, we do what we need to do to make sure she’s okay, and at times that comes with a personal sacrifice. We are doing a better job lately of working as a team to focus on what’s most important to the business; with this smarter, not harder mentality we’re seeing a more calm progress.

How has your personal life bled into work? In what ways does it both challenge and motivate you?

Chelsey Bartrum: On one hand, it has taken the pressure off of the business, because my family will always be more important than Starling. On the other hand, motherhood has really upped the ante, because it drives my desire to succeed.

Janessa Leoné: While there might be certain parts of my personality that I put forward more during work hours, I think the best leadership styles and work product come from authenticity and vulnerability, and there is no better practice in either than relationships.

Megan Papay: If we aren’t working, we are with our families. If we aren’t with our families, we are working. The added layer is that when we are with our families, we are sneaking in work, and when we are at work, we are sneaking in our families. Being founders, we can’t imagine it any other way. We are both things 24/7. It feels like a beautiful thing to us, and, truthfully, it’s all we know, and it’s all our kids know. It’s messy at times, but it’s human and love-filled.